Rehabilitate Kannadigas evicted from Baina beach: Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday urged his Goa counterpart Laxmikanth Parsekar to rehabilitate Kannadigas evicted from Baina beach.

In his letter to Mr Parsekar, copies of which were released to the media, Mr Siddaramaiah recalled the bonds between both states since the eon of Kadamba dynasty and said: “Our states share common boundaries, language and culture.”

He drew the attention of the Chief Minister of Goa to the plight of Kannadigas living on Baina beach, and said, “They are daily wage labourers and so they are extremely vulnerable to external shocks due to their poor socio-economic status. Since they have been residing for many years, they got EPIC cards, power connection. Demolishing of their houses has virtually brought them onto streets.”

Mr Siddaramaiah referred to the meeting between defence minister and former Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar and Karnataka Industries minister R V Deshpande and said, “Mr Parrikar had assured that any one staying over five years will be rehabilitated after identification of suitable land and construction of houses. Since the entire exercise of identifying land and construction of houses will take more time, people can take houses on rent for which the government has to pay compensation.”