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Awareness sought on Dalit rights Jangareddygudem, June 16: State SC and ST commission chairman, Dr Meruga Nagarjuna called for efforts to bring about more awareness on the rights and legal safeguards of the people belonging to SC and ST. Speaking to newsmen here on Saturday, the chairman said that directions were issued to all the district collectors to take steps to bring about awareness on the rights and legal safeguards and to ensure proper implementation of government orders 105 and 128. Dr Nagarjuna said that as per G.O. 105, police officials should visit Dalit wadas every Friday and help the people understand the laws pertaining to them. As per G.O. 128, the officials should conduct a review meet at mandal and district level on the last day of every month to review the developments related to SC and ST communities. Maintaining that investigation of cases registered under SC and ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act was getting delayed, he asked the police officials to expedite investigations to ensure justice to the affected persons. Dr Nagarjuna also asked them to initiate action against those who try to dilute the cases registered under SC and ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act. Referring to the injustice being meted out to the SC and ST employees in promotions, he said that they asked the government to give promotions as per the seniority list and added that they also asked the government to fill up the backlog posts of SC and STs. He said that the Commission had resolved to honour the SC and ST students with merit awards for doing well in their studies. As part of the awareness drive on the rights and privileges of the SC and ST, they were publishing brochures for the benefit of the people at a cost of Rs 20 lakh in the first phase, he said. He added that he would visit the West Godavari district soon and conduct a review with all the departments to safeguard the rights of the SC and ST. The chairman expressed grief over the prevailing practise of untouchability and jogini system in certain parts of the state and said it was wrong to attack the SC and ST communities on the pretext of practising 'Banamati'.
