BENGALURU: One of the ambitious state government projects, Karnataka State Sports University to come up on the outskirts of Bengaluru, is facing a hurdle as a major part of the land proposed to set up the university is with the BBMP, which is keen on setting waste to energy unit. The proposed sports university will have all the amenities for athletes, including training, college and residential facilities. It was initiated during BJP government when KC Narayana Gowda was the sports minister.
As per the official sources from the Department of Sports and Youth Empowerment, there are around 115 acres of gomala land in Mavallipura (Hesraghatta Hobli) near Yelahanka, of which, 100 acres were given to BBMP to set up waste to energy unit. BBMP was working on giving the land to a private agency for 30 years, to dispose old waste dumped there, and also to take up new waste under public private partnership, which was opposed by local widely. It can be noted that Mavallipura village had become a dumping yard for many years, and was stopped, only when villagers started protesting.
The BBMP has not started the processing unit yet. Sources from the sports department said that BBMP is not ready to hand over the place to them. When contacted, BBMP zonal commissioner (Yelahanka) Mohammed Naeem Momin, said that the land is with the Palike right now. “Decision will be taken by the government,” he said when asked about handing over land to sports department.
Speaking to TNIE, Yelahanka MLA SR Vishwanath said, “The land is at Mavallipura and also next to Shivarama Karanth layout. There has been opposition from people to set up waste to energy unit, and even as a MLA, I am also against it. We want the sports facilities here. It will become a sports city with all the facilities for all the sports. It will add to the state’s prestige. The draft and design will be done by sports department. It can also be given to private agency to maintain, they will pay some revenue to the government. We want a sports city there and not processing unit,” he added.