We launched moon mission but where's tech for sewer cleaning?: Jignesh Mevani
Gandhinagar: Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday challenged Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to declare any one village "untouchability-free" before the upcoming Independence Day and maintained the social evil was still prevalent in the state.
Speaking in the legislative Assembly, he came down heavily on the BJP government in Gujarat over the issue of atrocities against Dalits.
Referring to the successful launch of Chandrayaan-2 mission on Monday, Mevani said while it shows expertise in space, there exists no technology to prevent death of sanitation workers engaged in cleaning sewers or septic tanks.
"It is the need of the hour for the government to visit villages where Dalits are subjected to untouchability and discrimination such as not allowing them to fetch water from common well.
"The government should book the guilty under the Protection of Civil Rights Act. But, the sad part is that no offence is registered," the Dalit leader said.
The MLA from Vadgam in Banaskantha district was speaking on his 'cut-motion' moved against the budgetary demands of the Social Justice and Empowerment department.
"Whenever an incident of atrocity takes place, media persons ask me `when will I visit that place'. Now, it is my humble appeal to Vijay Rupani, known to be a sarva-mitra' (friend of all), to be a 'Dalit-mitra' and visit such places.
"I want him to declare any one village of Gujarat untouchability-free before August 15," he said.
Speaking in the budgetary demands, Mevani slammed the government, saying not a single rupee has been allocated to eliminate the social evils of discrimination and untouchability.
"The Social Justice and Empowerment department was not created to uplift Dalits and tribals economically. This department is meant for ensuring social justice by eliminating discrimination and untouchability, which are still prevalent in the state.
"But, not a single rupee has been allocated to eliminate these social evils in the budget of this department," said the independent lawmaker.
"It was announced yesterday that we have successfully launched Chandrayaan-2. But, at the same time, we do not possess a technology to prevent sanitation workers from entering in sewer lines and dying in them," rued Mevani.
He offered to gift a robot to the state government to clean sewers and prevent death of sanitation workers.
"This is my offer to the government. I will gift you a Rs 11 lakh robot, invented in Kerala. Sanitation workers need not enter in to manholes if we use this robot.
"I am ready to gift it. But, can you give it in writing that you will use it?" asked Mevani.
Alleging that Dalits are forced to use separate crematorium, he urged the government to bring a policy wherein people from all castes are required to use common crematorium.
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15 IAS officers transferred in Haryana
Chandigarh (PTI): The Haryana government transferred 15 IAS officers with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Among those who have been transferred are Vineet Garg, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board. He has been posted as the additional chief secretary to the government's printing and stationery department, relieving Raja Shekhar Vundru of the charge, a government order said.
Ajay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, has been transferred and posted as the deputy principal secretary-II to the chief minister against a newly-created post.
Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, has been posted as the principal secretary in the architecture department, relieving Apporva Kumar Singh of the charge.
Saket Kumar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Commissioner and Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, has been transferred and posted as the commissioner and secretary in the archives department, relieving Shekhar Vidyarthi of the charge.
Mani Ram Sharma, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, has been posted as the secretary in the health department, relieving Rippudaman Singh Dhillon of the charge.
