From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 1: Karnataka government is considering acquiring lands for providing permanent rehabilitation to the displaced Kannada-speaking people of Baina beach in Goa.

Kannada Development Authority Chairman L Hanumanthaiah said the Goa government has been requested to provide lands to rehabilitate Kannada-speaking people residing in around Baina beach.

If the Government of neighbouring states failed to provide lands, the State Government would purchase and it would cost around Rs 15 crore, he said.

The Goa government has evicted 300 families from the beach side and now several families have been rendered homeless.

"The Authority has requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to make efforts to get a plot from the Goa government to construct houses to evicted families," Hanumanthaiah said.

The Kannada Sangha of Goa has been asked the identify lands for rehabilitation of the people, the KDA Chairman said.

Last year, Karnataka’s Minister for Tourism and Industries R V Deshpande held talks with Goa government to provide permanent rehabilitation to the displaced Kannada-speaking people of Baina beach.

Most of the migrants were construction workers and they had been residing in hutments for many decades.

The migrants said the Goa government had provided electricity and water connections to their houses and issued ration cards.