http://www.sahilonline.org/english/news.php?catID=coastalnews&nid=3621&viewed=0
Regularise encroached forest land, say dalits Wednesday, 15 October 2008: Karwar: two dalit organization Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) and Karnataka Dalita Rakshana Vedike (DRV), staged separate demonstration near the Deputy commissioner's officer here on Monday demanding house sites to homeless dalit families and members of other backward class communities. Members of both the organization took out separate processions in the town before submitting their memoranda to the Deputy Commissioner. In fact it looked like a show of strength by the two rival organisations. While nearly 100 members of the DSS participated in the agitation led by the district unit president, S Fakirappa, the General Secretary of the unit, Sudhakar Pawaskar and the presidents of different taluk units. Over 200 members of DRV took part in the demonstration led by state unit president, Sorhunishe N Venkatesh and district unit president, Elish Elakpati. Beating of tamate (drums) was the special feature of the procession organized by the DRV. The demands of both the organisations were almost common except for a few. The DSS demanded house sites along with records of rights to nearly 500 dalit families including poura karmikas living in the encroached land at Shirwad, Mudgeri, Binaga, Amadalli, Sadashivgad and Makeri and also in Habbuwada and Gandhingar the suburban areas of Karwar town. Both the organisations pleaded for regularization for of forest land encroached by many dalit families in the district. Other common demands of these organisations included distribution of BPL cards and 28 kg rice to each dalit family at the rate of Rs 2 a kg. DSS demanded regularization of the services of poura karmikas appointed on daily basis. DRV stressed for curbing matka gambling and illicit liquor employed dalit women and youths should be given incentives like unemployed dalit women and youths should be given incentives like unemployment allowance till they were employed.
