Orissa govt prepares plan to end untouchability

Bhubaneswar, Aug 11 (PTI) In its bid to end the age-old
practice of untouchability and ban on entry at temples in
certain pockets of the state, Orissa government has prepared a
strategy to deal with such situation.
"It was decided to initiate prompt action against
persons delivering inflammatory speeches on the basis of caste
besides launching massive awareness campaign against the
menace," a senior official in the ST, SC, OBC and Minorities
Development department said on Thursday.
The state government's plan to check the dual issue was
part of the strategy prepared to be submitted with the
National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC). The state
government had earlier assured NCSC that it would prepare a
strategy plan to combat the practices.
"District administration along with police should move the
administration of major temples in the state to issue
necessary advisory to managing committees to take all possible
steps for ensuing that there is no discrimination between one
community and the other so far as entry and offer of puja are
concerned," the strategy plan report said.
Earlier NCSC chairman P L Punia had expressed grave
concern over the ban on entry of dalits at a temple in
Brahmagiri in Puri district. Punia visited the temple and
asked the government to ensure that all should get equal
opportunity to enter temple.