Many decry conversion of swimming pool into parking lot
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 03 2017:
Many sports persons and sports lovers of the State have decried the alleged lack of interest shown by the State Govt and the Youth Affairs and Sports Dept for the promotion of aquatic sports in the State.
The nod given by YAS to convert a swimming pool located at the southern gate of Kangla, near Sanjenthong, into a parking space is one clear example that the State Govt and its sports department is showing little interest for the promotion of the sports discipline, disgruntled swimmers told The Sangai Express.
Although the swimming pool was maintained by the YAS for years, it seems that the department has lost track of late, they said.
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The pool was started around 1962.Since then the pool thrived independently and a National school game was even hosted at the place.
Leaders of the then Manipur Swimming Association had done their bid to preserve the pool when the AR tried to take it under their control in 1983-84, they said.
Even though the location is within the jurisdiction of Kangla Fort Board, the Board at no point of time tried to interfere in matter relating to the swimming pool in the larger interest of the State's sports persons.
The State Govt as well as the YAS Dept should in no way forget that many swimmers and water polo players of national repute have been groomed through this swimming pool, they said.
It is very unfortunate that the Govt has taken a hasty step to do away with the swimming pool before setting up a cutting-edge swimming pool in each district, they said.
Affirming that they would never accept the manner in which some officials of YAS had given the green signal for converting the swimming pool into a parking space, the discontented swimmers said the act of the Govt in this regard tantamount to wiping out aquatic sports from the State.
They also warned of launching different forms of agitation with the support of various organisations unless the decision is reviewed.