With two days to go for caste survey deadline, BBMP to seek extension

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has suspended Revenue Inspector Kavita on charges of dereliction of duty while affixing stickers on households as part of the comprehensive survey of Scheduled Castes. The BBMP has faced criticism for its handling of the survey, with many residents expressing dissatisfaction over the survey’s methodology.

The BBMP has made one blunder after another in the Scheduled Caste survey. With only two days left to complete the survey, amidst public outrage over the survey not being conducted properly, the BBMP is now likely to request an extension.

The rules state that the Scheduled Caste survey should be conducted by visiting households and speaking with residents. However, surveyors are affixing stickers on homes and motorcycles without speaking to the family members.

Public TV has exposed instances of surveyors allegedly assaulting houseowners.

Now, it’s not possible for the BBMP to complete the survey within the given deadline. They were told to complete the survey by the July 5, but it hasn’t been completed yet. Only 52 per cent of the survey has been completed in Bengaluru. About 22 lakh households have been surveyed, and 11 lakh more need to be surveyed. It’s not possible to complete the survey in the remaining two days.

Therefore, the BBMP is likely to request more time to conduct the survey. The BBMP is planning to complete the survey in another one or two weeks.

BBMP Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said, “The survey has been conducted for the last two months, forming groups with a micro-level plan. The group members are visiting door-to-door. If they support the survey, they will stick stickers on the wall. If any mistakes happened or citizens were assaulted, I directed the seniors to look into the issue. Our officials should behave with the citizens utmost courtesy. If it happened so, I will take disciplinary action. We asked for additional time to make a comprehensive survey in a proper way.”