BENGALURU: Treating the August 29 TNIE report titled ‘No place to bury the dead, an islet the final resting place’ as a source report, Upa Lokayukta Justice KN Phaneendra on Monday registered a suo motu case against tahsildar Noorul Huda of NR Pura taluk, and Santosh, Panchayat Development Officer of Ravuru Camp in Chikkamagaluru district, and sought their detailed explanation.
Making both respondents to the case, Justice Phaneendra marked a copy of the case to the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of Chikkamagaluru Zilla Panchayat for remedial measures, and to submit the action taken report by October 4.
The TNIE report highlighted that around 150 families of the Shillekyatha fishing community (Scheduled Caste) living at Menasuru Ravuru Camp in NR Pura taluk, have no place to bury the dead.
Deprived of a burial ground, though they have been living in the camp near the backwaters of the Bhadra river for nearly two decades, these community members are forced to bury their dead on an islet a few kilometres from their camp.
The body of an aged man, who died recently, was taken to the islet on a coracle for the last rites.
Justice Phaneendra quoted various judgments of the apex court on ensuring dignity and respect to departed souls in performing final rites. He also quoted a high court order, which directed the state government to take steps to provide burial grounds to all villages and towns.
As per this order, it is the duty and responsibility of the authorities to provide a burial ground to the Shillekyata community, and amounts to dereliction of duty, and has to be considered maladministration under Section 2(10) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act. A copy of the order was also sent to Chikkamagaluru district minister KJ George.