Goa govt at it again: Asks Kannadigas to vacate from Baina beach

On Thursday, Murgaon Tahsildar issued 15 days deadline to vacate the beach claiming that the houses are prone to natural disasters. The administration wanted the houses to be removed cleared before the onset of monsoon.

In fact, majority of the dwellers on the Baina beach are Kannadigas, who have gone and settled there in search of livelihood. Most of them are daily wage workers.

It may be recalled here that earlier too the Goa government had demolished over 500 houses of Kannadigas. The government had claimed that most of them were indulging in prostitution and hence disturbed the social fabric there.

It may be recalled here that last week, Goa's Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar had stirred up a controversy by stating that Lambanis from Goa will be evicted. His comments had drawn widespread criticism.

Lambanis - majority of them from Karnataka's northern districts - had appealed the Goa government to remove the minister.

Kannadigas over there have been suffering at the hands the Goa government. Since 2004, the Goa government has demolished 800 houses of Kannadigas.

Yet, the Karnataka government has failed to come to their rescue. Kannadigas here are upset that the state has left them in the lurch, leave alone rehabilitating them.

• baina beach
• kannadigas in goa