Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru Feb 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Office (PMO) is known to respond to people whenever they write expressing their grievances. Similarly, Ranjith Bajpe, director of 'Nirel' and 'Dhand' Tulu movies, has received a response from the PMO, when he sent the report published by daijiworld highlighting the plight of the Koraga families who have been neglected by people and governments.
On August 15, 2016, daijiworld had published a report on the Koraga families who have been subjected to utter neglect of the people, and who have been living in small tents on the river bank at Atrinje under Sulkery gram panchayat limits. Ranjith Bajpe in his appeal to the PMO also pointed out the fact that the families have to cross the rivulet with the help of a wooden log which serves as bridge to the mainland.
Ranjith Bajpe
SP's visit
DC's visit
File photos
Ranjith, in his letter addressed to Prime Minister Modi, requested to direct the officials concerned to construct a bridge across the rivulet. On January 25, the PMO responded, asking the officials of the department concerned to examine the matter in detail and take action on the issue, and also asked them to report on the developments within seven days.
Speaking to daijiworld, Ranjith Bajpe said, "After I saw the report on daijiworld on August 15, I thought of bringing this issue to the attention of the Prime Minister. I was confident that the Prime Minister would respond and sent a letter attached with daijiworld article to the Prime Minister's Office. It is not that they just gave formal support, they also read the article and promptly verified the issue and responded to my letter.
"It was good to see that on August 17, 2016 superintendent of police Bhushan Rao Borase had visited to Atrinje and lent an ear to their problems and gave them a sense of hope. I feel really happy to have received the response from the Prime Minister. Through media, we came to know the pathetic condition of the people residing there. Obviously, there will be impact when media highlights such problems. Being readers, it is our duty to help in ensuring that the issue reaches higher levels," he said.
The report on daijiworld had highlighted the conditions of the the Koraga families in Atrinje that have migrated from place to place in the taluk, pitching tents there. None of the families had succeeded in getting ration cards or electoral identity cards. They have been deprived of civic amenities. Though successive governments had earmarked and spent hundreds of crores of rupees for the development of Koragas, they have been living in this place for several months. They had submitted applications seeking land and house from the government through their community association to the taluk social welfare department, but to no avail. Two days after the report was published on daijiworld, SP Borase visited the place and patiently listened to the grievances of the families, promising them support and assistance. Later on, deputy commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesh too met the families and assured support.