Mangaluru: A forum has raised concerns about the new international Olympic-standard swimming pool at Yemmekere, which was inaugurated by Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh in November last year.
The complaint, addressed to various authorities including the state chief secretary, the director (Smart City-I) of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the CEO of the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA), the Central Vigilance Commission, and the National Environment Care Federation (NECF), alleges that the swimming pool was built without prior permission from the KTCDA.
“We, the citizens and environmentalists, are writing to bring to your attention a matter of grave concern regarding the illegal construction of a swimming pool at the centuries-old historic Yemmekere Pond, situated in survey number 108 of Mangaluru Thota village.
The construction, carried out by Mangaluru Smart City Ltd at a cost of Rs 25 crore, encroaches upon Yemmekere Pond without prior permission from the KTCDA. In reply to an RTI inquiry, it has come to light that prior permission was not obtained from the KTCDA for the construction of this swimming pool over the aforementioned pond,” stated H Shashidhar Shetty, general secretary of the NECF.
This unauthorized construction not only violates regulatory norms but also threatens the ecological balance and water resources in the area, Shetty noted.
