BELAGAVI
Citizens Council, a forum of well-known social activists comprising former presidents of Belagavi Chamber of Commerce and Industries and other associations have petitioned Karnataka Home Minister Basavraj Bommai to direct the police to stop harassing Goans visiting Belagavi.
Among other demands pertaining to streamline the traffic situation in Belagavi city, the forum has also urged to provide continuous police patrolling on the National Highways connecting Karnataka and Goa, in the wake of rising incidents of robbery and dacoity on vehicles carrying goods and commodities.
The forum submitted a memorandum to Bommai, who was in Belagavi on Tuesday and the minister has assured appropriate measures in the matter.
“Belagavi city is an important commercial hub in north Karnataka region and has large number of customers from Goa, Sindhudurg and Kolhapur visiting the city. There are rising complaints from these visitors that their vehicles are being targeted for routine paper verification once they enter the city.”
“Belagavi is situated on the border of Goa and Maharashtra, hence looking at the business generated by Goans, we think some liberal attitude towards these visitors is must to boost the trade commerce and industry of the region,” the forum has stated.
Moreover, they said vehicles of Goans are also fined which is unethical, as there is no proper provision of parking place by authorities.
Raising concern over the increase in dacoity of trucks and tempos going to Goa after midnight with vegetables, goods and commodities, the forum said 24x7 patrolling should be commenced to avoid dacoities.
“Goa is totally dependent on commodities and goods from Belagavi region. Every day from 7 pm onwards, over 400 trucks go to Goa from Chorla Road. Recently as per media reports, many transit thefts have taken place on moving vehicles.”
“Kindly install highway patrolling squad between Kinaye villages to Chorla to keep check on the dacoits,” the forum has stated.
