Konkani Bhavana to become reality soon

Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy’s long-pending demand for an administrative building, ‘Konkani Bhavana’, will be realised soon, with the laying of the foundation for the building on February 26.

The government had handed over 35 cents of land to Kannada and Culture department in Urwastore for building Konkani Bhavana.

“The government has released Rs 3 crore for the Bhavana,” Academy President Dr K Jagadish Pai said on Wednesday.

He said the deputy commissioner had given permission for initiating the work on the building.

Though the academy was set up in 1994, it did not have a building of its own and was operating from a rented office in the MCC building.

Konkani is one among 22 scheduled languages included in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution.

PWD had begun work by removing the weeds. Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture V Sunil Kumar, who is also the district in-charge minister, will lay the foundation stone for the building.

Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and others will take part.

Dr Pai said Konkani Bhavana, a two-storied building, will have a plinth area of 4,735 square feet. Floors will have parking spaces for vehicles.

The administrative office and library will be located on the first floor of the Bhavana. There will be a hall and museum on the second floor, he said.

“We want the work to be completed within a year. Our term will get over after seven months,” added Dr Pai.