The residents of Sambalpur have vehemently protested against the shifting of an old swimming hostel from Sambalpur to Bhubaneswar.
Intellectuals, sports lovers and representatives of different organisations on Thursday organised a meting under the banner of Santarana Chhatrabas SthanantaranaPratirodh Manch to protest the recent decision of the government.
The residents here have decided in a meeting to lock up the district sports office as a mark of protest against the shifting of the swimming hostel.
Besides, they have decided to send a seven-day ultimatum to the sports minister and the secretary, sports, to revoke the order. If the government does not revoke the decision of shifting the sports hostel, we will block the movement of all government vehicles between Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar,warned Sapan Mishra, convener of the meeting.
Instead of thinking about the development of the swimming pool, the hostel and the trainees in Sambalpur, the state government has shifted the swimming discipline fromthe Sambalpur sports hostel, which is unfair and against the interest of the region that is already a victim of a step motherly attitude by successive governments.
Hence, it is high time, the government thought for the renovation Jhasketan Sahu Municipal Swimming Pool in Sambalpur, said Mishra further. The Sambalpur swimming pool has a glorious past. Several students from here have excelled in various national and State level competitions. But now the government isplanning to shift the swimming discipline, which is nothing but a conspiracy, said the residents. This is one of the oldest and cheapest swimming pools in the state.
A number of state and national swimming champions are from the swimming hostel. Hence, the government must give a second thought to shifting it, said many sportslovers here.
Former health minister Sanatan Bisi also made similar demand to renovate the swimming pool.
