Pourkarmika's death: BBMP attempts damage control

Bengaluru: It seems for the BBMP wakes up to a crisis only after there is a death or similar calamity. A day after the death of Subramani, a Pourakarmika, the civic body on Tuesday ordered for  settlement of payment to Pourakarmikas to the tune of Rs 27.01 crore.

Former chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda took to social media platform Twitter to express his anguish, "To release Rs 28 crore, the JD(S) and Congress coalition at BBMP has taken away a life. How many deaths should we see under this coalition."

BBMP ruling party leader Shivaraj said, "BBMP had initiated direct payment to pourakarmikas since January and have paid their salaries till April. Pending payments for May and June have been directed to be paid by Tuesday."

Those pourakarmikas who have less than one year service shall be paid and then relieved from their duty and the ones with more than one year shall be enrolled under ESI and PF within next three days, he said.

Police summon 2 BBMP officials

A day after a pourakarmika committed suicide, Vyalikaval police on Tuesday issued notice to Assistant Executive Engineer and Junior Health officer to appear before them to register their statement in connection with the suicide.

A senior police officer said that preliminary investigations revealed that it was a case of unnatural death, but following a complaint by Kavitha, wife of deceased pourakarmika Subramani S., that BBMP officials were responsible for the tragedy as her husband was not paid salary for six months, police have issued summons to the officials.

Notices were issued to Assistant Executive Engineer Rajiv and Junior Health Officer Umashankar to appear before the investigation officer, the officer added.
The police are yet to receive the postmortem to ascertain the cause of death.