Survey ordered into conditions of Lambani community

Bangalore, Apr 11 (UNI) The Karnataka Government has ordered a survey into the socio-economic conditions of Lambani community in Ramanagaram taluk, where an incident of sale of a baby girl was reported recently, Women and Child Welfare Minister H K Kumaraswamy informed the Legislative Council today.

Replying to the issue raised by Congress member Prakash Rathod during Zero hour, he said he had visited both Ammanapura and Devaradoddi hamlets in Ramanagaram and inquired about the alleged sale of baby girl for cash. The parents of the baby were not there when he visited their house. However, the father of Sakkubai, who had allegedly sold her daughter, denied it, stating that ''we have not reached that stage where we have to sell our children for a living''.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the State Government had instructed the officials to get more information about the incident, besides taking measures to provide all kind of help to improve the economic condition of the Lambani community.

He said the State Government had constituted a monitoring committee from the Panchayat to State level to check illegal trafficking of women and children. At the State level, the Chief Secretary would head the Committee, while Panchayath Presidents would head at the village level and hold regular meetings.

UNI