CH NEWS, YADGIR
The enumerators, mostly teachers, visited households during the final days of their summer vacation to collect census data. They are now making repeated visits to the municipal council office seeking payment. The civic body reportedly owes around Rs 15 lakh to nearly 130 enumerators. There are around 24,000 households within the municipal council limits, with an estimated population of around 1.20 lakh, assuming an average of five members per household. For the census exercise, the municipal council divided the area into more than 13 blocks, with each enumerator assigned the task of collecting data from around 180 to 190 households.
Unlike previous censuses, which were conducted under the supervision of the tahsildar, the exercise was entrusted to the municipal council this time. Teachers involved in the census in neighbouring districts and areas under tahsildar supervision have reportedly already received their honorarium. Hundreds of teachers worked during their vacation to complete the census. Many of us spent money from our own pockets on transportation and other expenses. Three months have passed since the work was completed, but the honorarium has not been paid. Whenever we approach the municipal office, we are told that the supervisor is unavailable or that the case worker is on leave, and that payment will be made in a few days. But nothing has been paid so far, a teacher said.
The municipal council has to pay around Rs 12,000 per person, including the honorarium for training and census-related work. We have approached officials several times, but our requests have not received any response, the teacher said.
Teachers also pointed out that the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes had already paid the honorarium for the Social and Educational Survey conducted in September-October last year, though Earned Leave related to the work is still pending. Officials have advised us that if the Government Employees’ Association submits a representation and the government issues an order, the earned leave will be sanctioned, another teacher said.
