Sat Oct 11 14:00:36 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summarized news article based on the provided text:
**Headline: Nomadic Communities in Shivamogga Struggle for Basic Amenities and Equitable Reservation**
**Shivamogga, October 11, 2025** – A settlement of approximately 150 individuals from the Sindhollu, Sudagadu Sidda, and Shillekyatha nomadic communities on the outskirts of Shivamogga is facing dire living conditions, lacking electricity, toilets, and access to regular income. Residents, many of whom have lived there for decades, rely on collecting waste, selling small goods, or begging for survival. Children are forced to study under streetlights due to the absence of power.
The lack of sanitation facilities is a major concern, particularly for women. Meanwhile, the communities are also protesting the government’s implementation of internal reservations. A recent decision to merge 59 “most backward” communities, including these groups, with “less backward” communities for reservation purposes has sparked outrage. Community leaders argue that this merger disadvantages them, as they are unable to compete with more established communities for the allocated benefits.
“It is like newly literate people competing with university professors,” said Hussainappa, a resident of the camp.
Representatives from the communities have staged protests in Bengaluru and are planning an indefinite sit-in in New Delhi to demand a fairer reservation system. They are calling for the government to reconsider its decision and implement the original recommendations of the Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das commission, which recognized their extreme backwardness. The commission report highlighted the minimal representation of these communities in government jobs, with almost no representation from the Sindhollu Chindollu community.
The Karnataka Asprushya Alemari Samudayagala Maha Okkoota, a federation of nomadic communities, is spearheading the protests, emphasizing the urgent need for the government to address the plight of these marginalized populations and ensure equitable access to opportunities.