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http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20051104010311&Page=K&Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka&Topic=0

Goa CM rules out rehabilitation of Baina beach residents
Friday November 4 2005 12:30 IST 

HUBLI: Goa Chief Minister Pratap Singh Rane has said he has an open mind
to discuss differences regarding water disputes between Goa and
Karnataka.

Rane stayed at Circuit house for some time before leaving for Sandur
here on Wednesday. He said the proposed project of Karnataka regarding
linking of Kalasa and Banduri nala tributaries of Mahadayi river had
been stayed by Union Ministry of Water Resources.

The same would decide the fate of the project, he added.

He told reporters that P R Dasmunshi, Cabinet Minister for Water
Resources, intended to convene a meeting of chief ministers of Karnataka
and Goa soon. The matter of dispute would be sorted there in keeping the
interest of the state (Goa), he said.

Earlier, Goa had given consent to Mahadayi project but it backtracked
citing environmental reasons. The issue was referred to the National
Environmental and Engineering Institute, which cleared the project.

The Centre had given green signal to the project but Goa mounted
pressure on it to keep the project in abeyance, he said.

He disagreed that surplus water of Mahadayi was being unused and flowed
to sea and termed it a ‘baseless report’. Constituting a tribunal to
resolve differences on water sharing was unnecessary, he opined.

He defended evacuation of Kannadigas from Baina beach claiming the beach
a hub of sex trade. He clarified that residents of the beach were not
only of Karnataka and action was taken in the interest of enhancing
tourism of Goa and check the sexual diseases, he added.

He ruled out any rehabilitation to residents of Baina beach since they
had become homeless after evacuation. He said any step toward
rehabilitation would encourage encroachment of beaches and trade of sex.

State would not tolerate any act that would cause setback to tourism as
it was the major source of revenue.

Rane dismissed the demand of ‘Vishal Gomanthak’ and said border dispute
was not alive for Goa as the government more concentrated on getting
international recognition to the state.



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