30 nomads made to relocate ahead of PM's Mangaluru visit

The place where they were staying was about a kilometre away from Goldfinch City where PM Modi is scheduled to address a gathering

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mangaluru on September 2, more than 30 nomads living in tents near Koloor in Mangaluru were made to vacate citing security reasons. Around nine families including children were living in tents.

The place where they were staying was about a kilometre away from Goldfinch City where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the gathering after laying foundations and inaugurating development projects at New Mangalore Port Authority and MRPL.

"For security reasons and to make use of every place available for parking and other programme-related requirements, police have asked them to vacate,” said Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V. He said that vacated families have been provided with temporary shelters. Sources said that the police had asked them to vacate their tents on Saturday.

The tahsildar and other personnel from the labour department visited them and looked into alternate arrangements including food. After discussing with families, a permanent rehabilitation action plan will be prepared, if they show interest to settle down in and around Mangaluru.

The DC said that the vacated families have been temporarily rehabilitated by the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) with the help of the local corporator Kiran, said the DC.

Most of them hail from Andhra Pradesh and have been staying here in tents for eight years and were eking out a living by doing odd jobs including looking after 'Basava' and seeking alms by visiting houses and other places.