Another panchayat in Himachal fixes rates of tips for eunuchs

Hamirpur: After Daruhi, another gram panchayat in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district has fixed a rate list for paying tips to eunuchs on occasions such as marriage and child birth.

Last month, the Daruhi gram panchayat had decided that no hawkers would be allowed in the village without its permission. It also set a fixed amount to be given to eunuchs when complaints of extortion by them reached the gram panchayat.

Now the Darighanpatti kot Panchayat has also decided that eunuchs will no longer be able to make arbitrary demands as 'shagun' and a fixed amount would be paid to them, Gram Panchayat Pradhan Gulshan Kumar said on Friday.

The panchayat has fixed Rs 2,100 as the tipping amount on the birth of a child and Rs 3,100 on the occasion of marriage. A provision has also been made to take action as per rules in case of non-compliance of panchayat orders, he added.

The decision was taken after some villagers complained to the panchayat members that eunuchs were extorting money and some people unable to pay the demanded amount were being harassed, Kumar said.

Kumar said the panchayat handed over a copy of the decision to District Magistrate Hamirpur on Thursday.