Dalit families allowed to fetch water from pond.

Following media reports on the practice of untouchability at Kuruvanka village in Channarayapatna taluk, the Hassan district administration officials rushed to the place on Saturday and held a meeting with the residents. The Hindu, on Saturday, had carried a report on Dalits not being allowed to fetch water from a public pond.

N.R. Purushottam, District Social Welfare Officer, Bheemashankar S. Guled, Assistant Superintendent of Police of Holenarsipur sub-division, and Vijaya, Assistant Commissioner, visited the village.

The officers told the residents that the pond belonged to everybody and imposing restrictions on a section of them would attract strict action.

Mr. Purushottam said, “The people were convinced. We invited some members of the Dalit families and made them fetch water from the pond in the presence of other residents. We have warned them of legal action if they continued the age-old practice,” he said.

Members of Dalit families were also happy with the development, the officer said.