Karnataka govt to abide by HC order on caste census: Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister for Backward Class Development Shivaraj S Tangadagi on Friday said the state government will abide by the High Court’s directive regarding the Social and Educational Survey, popularly known as the "caste census", currently underway in the state.
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday declined to stay the survey but directed the State Backward Classes Commission to maintain the confidentiality of the collected data and ensure voluntary participation of citizens.
The survey, being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, began on Monday and is scheduled to continue until October 7.
"Abiding by law is our duty and responsibility. We will abide by the court’s direction," Tangadagi told reporters here when asked about the HC order to maintain confidentiality.
On whether participation is compulsory, he said, "We (government) too have said the same thing, we have said that participation in the survey is voluntary. We have not put any compulsion in the past and will not do it in the future either."
The minister added that the cabinet has warned government officials and staff deputed for the survey of disciplinary action if they fail to participate in the enumeration process assigned to them.
Concerns have been raised about "the slow pace of the survey due to technical and server issues affecting data collection."
Enumerators visiting households have faced problems with the mobile application used for the survey in several areas, including server outages, OTP generation failures, and network connectivity issues, sources said.
Asked about technical glitches affecting the survey, Tangadagi said, "Those will be rectified".
According to officials, the survey has been delayed in the Greater Bengaluru area, where five newly formed corporations sought more time for training and preparations.
The survey will involve about 1.75 lakh enumerators, mostly government school teachers, covering around 7 crore people in approximately 2 crore households across the state.
Estimated to cost Rs 420 crore, the exercise is being conducted "scientifically", with a 60-question questionnaire, officials said. The commission is expected to submit its report to the government by December.
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Leopard that killed 8-year-old boy caught after weeks in Thane
Thane (PTI): Forest officials on Sunday captured a leopard that mauled an eight-year-old child to death nearly a month ago in Shahapur of Maharashtra’s Thane district.
The predator walked into one of the cages set up in the area late Saturday night, ending weeks of panic in several villages in the region, an official from the Dolkhamb division of the forest department said.
"The captured leopard will undergo a thorough medical examination before any further decision is taken regarding its relocation or release," he said.
Senior inspector Suresh Gavit from the Kasara police station confirmed the development, stating that the forest department had successfully secured the animal.
Following the news of the capture, a video surfaced on social media showing a large crowd of villagers, including children, cheering and following the vehicle carrying the caged leopard.
The capture comes as a major relief to the area, which had been on edge since April 16, when the big cat killed an eight-year-old boy.
Krishna Bhaga Agiwale, a resident of Kalbhonde in the Kasara range, had ventured into a forest patch near his house to collect wild fruits when the leopard pounced on him, dragged him into the thicket and killed him on the spot.
