Puttur: Row over razing of 156-year-old school building, DC seeks report
Puttur, Dec 15: The demolition of a 156-year-old heritage school building at Nellikatte in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district has kicked up a controversy, after which the DK deputy commissioner K V Rajendra has sought a report from the education department.
The heritage structure was built by the British East India Company in 1865 to cater to the schooling needs of the region. Jnanpith awardee Dr K Shivaram Karanth had also used the building to direct plays and the villagers had wanted the building to be restored as a memorial museum after the litterateur.
The building was razed overnight three days back by the school development and monitoring committee (SDMC) which claimed that the building was beyond repair.
According to SDMC president Panchakshari, a part of the dilapidated building collapsed when they tried to carry out some repair work on the building. The building was then razed as it posed threat to students as the school ground is located nearby.
Classes were not being held in the building for long and a proposal to restore the building was pending before the authorities.
Following an uproar from literary enthusiasts and villagers over the demolition, DK district deputy commissioner K V Rajendra has directed the deputy director of public instruction (DDPI) and zilla panchayat chief executive officer to submit a report on the incident.
People claimed that the SDMC did not have the authority to take a decision on demolition. They also did not inform the departments concerned before razing the structure.
The DDPI has now sought a report from the block education officer who has served a notice to SDMC and the school headmaster seeking an explanation on the circumstances that led to the demolition.
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Karnataka launches India’s first digital grievance system for gig workers
Bengaluru: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, the Karnataka government has launched a digital grievance redressal system for gig workers to provide structured support and protection to platform-based workers.
According to The Hindu, the system, developed by the Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers’ Board in collaboration with the Department of e-Governance, allows workers to file complaints through the Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS).
Gig workers can raise issues related to pay, working conditions, and platform-specific disputes. Complaints will be routed to the Internal Dispute Resolution Committees (IDRCs) of respective platforms and are expected to be resolved within a defined timeframe. This is expected to bring transparency and legal recourse for a workforce that has so far operated without a formal dispute resolution framework.
Under The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act and Rules, every aggregator platform must constitute an Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC). Platforms such as Namma Yatri and Yulu have already integrated their IDRC contact details with the government portal.
Around 12 lakh gig workers have been identified in the state, and a unique identification system is being developed to remove duplicate entries. Officials said welfare schemes are also being designed based on type of work, working hours, and contribution.
Labour Minister Santosh Lad said that Karnataka, technology capital of the country, is leveraging this potential for worker welfare as well. “By launching this system, we are ensuring that the gig economy is no longer an informal space, but a structured one where every worker’s voice is heard,” he said.
“The schemes will vary based on the type of platforms. For example, cab rides are mostly undertaken by men whereas urban domestic activity is undertaken mostly by women. It may also be based on the contribution made, and the quantum of gig work done by a gig worker. Some gig workers work for more than eight hours while some may work on a few gigs. So, work load, nature of work, and time period of work could vary,” TH quoted G. Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner and CEO of the Board as saying.
“It has to be scientifically structured based on their effort and labour. We are working with experts, including academicians from Briston University, King’s College, and IISc, and other stake holders, including board members,” he said.
Officials added that aggregator platforms will be required to contribute 1 per cent towards worker welfare, with implementation beginning July 5.
