HC take cognisance of media report on manual scavenging in K'taka, says it is 'shame on humanity'
Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday took cognizance of a newspaper report on prevalence of manual scavenging in the state and termed it as a "shame on humanity".
A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit appointed advocate Sridhar Prabhu as amicus curiae and directed him to file a public interest litigation (PIL) with the Registry, which will place it before the bench for hearing on January 8.
The court remarked that the incidents mentioned in the report shook its conscience.
"After more than 60 years still somebody who is our brother in society merely due to his misfortune, he took birth in a particular community, carrying the stamp of one caste is required to do these things. Is it not a shame on humanity? Is this what we all are here for?" it asked.
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Though the country is proud of its technical advancements, the bench said there is no change in the mindset of people.
"Why are we making our brothers do these things when there are technical advancements to clean the pits but there is no change in the mindset?" Machines could be employed for manual scavenging which cost only Rs 2,000 per hour, the bench pointed out.
Referring to ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission, the bench said, "You can't sleep with this. You just can't be concentrating or anything when these things are still happening in society when on one hand, for rightful reasons, we say we reached the moon just two months back. We are proud of it. Same time, we are not treating our brothers as human beings,'' ''Is it not a shame? Is this what we all are here for? Merely because somebody is facing financial difficulty is he to lead a life as bad as an animal?" the Court questioned.
Quoting Ramon Magsaysay award winner and an activist fighting to eliminate manual scavenging, the HC said, "Today a person residing in the smallest villages in Karnataka is aware of Swach Bharat Abhiyan, but people still say they know nothing of the manual scavenging Act.'' ''What happened in Kolar is a crime. The government should stop the caste drama. The Constitution also says there should be no discrimination. Malur was only a representation of what was happening on the ground. In 2023 alone, there have been 93 deaths of manual scavengers across India," it added.
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KSCA expresses disappointment over missing IPL playoffs, says it was ready to host matches in B’luru
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has issued a clarification stating that it was fully prepared to host the IPL playoffs and final matches in Bengaluru but the fixtures were allotted to other venues.
In a media note, KSCA said it was disappointed with the decision. The association stated that its president, former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, had been in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and had formally conveyed the association’s readiness and interest in hosting the matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
KSCA said the IPL matches held in Bengaluru this season were appreciated for smooth conduct, crowd management and overall experience for spectators. It said this reflected its ability to handle high-profile matches.
The association also stated that it had sent a detailed communication to the BCCI explaining its preparedness and the operational arrangements followed during the current IPL season. According to KSCA, these systems have been in place since the start of the Indian Premier League in 2008 and were followed consistently, including during previous playoff matches hosted in Bengaluru.
The clarification added that the communication sent to the BCCI was only meant to provide factual and operational details and to bring clarity on logistical and stakeholder-related requirements involved in hosting such matches.
KSCA said that although it had shown willingness and preparedness, the BCCI has decided to allocate the playoff matches to other venues. It added that the reasons for this decision have not been formally shared with the association, but it respects the authority of the board in taking such decisions.
The association further said it remains ready to host matches of national and international importance and will continue to cooperate with the BCCI, franchises, government authorities and other stakeholders for conducting cricket events.
The statement was issued by KSCA official spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya, who also thanked the media and cricket fans for their continued support.
