Pool at DC’s residence was a Nirmithi Kendra project, says Rohini Sindhuri

Rohini Sindhuri, who was transferred from Mysuru late on Saturday night and replaced by Bagadi Gautham as the Deputy Commissioner, has clarified that the swimming pool constructed on the campus of Deputy Commissioner’s official residence was taken by Nirmithi Kendra as a demonstration of low-cost technology.

This was stated in a communiqué submitted to the Regional Commissioner of Mysuru, G.C. Prakash, who was directed by the State government to conduct an inquiry into the construction of the swimming pool at the official residence of the Deputy Commissioner.

The issue has been mired in controversy ever since it was first raised by a former corporator and subsequently by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, who had questioned the need for a swimming pool in the times of a pandemic and had gone ballistic on Ms. Sindhuri.

The outgoing DC said Nirmithi Kendras are set up in each district to take up construction and building projects with the use of locally available materials by adopting low-cost, effective technology. They execute pilot projects to prove the efficacy of the technology before implementing it as a general programme.

As per this mandate, swimming pools were planned at the district and taluk levels about five years ago and were assigned to Nirmithi Kendra, Mysuru, said Ms. Sindhuri. The execution of the pool at the Deputy Commissioner’s residence was done by the Nirmithi Kendra in January out of its own funds of ₹28.72 lakh in order to prove the cost effectiveness of the technology in a demo project, she explained.

Since there was no space available on the Nirmithi Kendra campus, a very small plot of land was utilised on the campus of the Deputy Commissioner’s residence as a technology demonstrator, according to Ms. Sindhuri. The campus of the DC’s residence in Mysuru is spread over 5.15 acres and the pool is not connected to the heritage building. Hence, the allegation of violation of heritage norms is also false, she added.

Pointing out that construction was also taken up at the election branch of the Mysuru City Corporation office, inside the Vasantha Mahal campus, Chamundi Meeting Hall on the campus of the Regional Commissioner’s office, and the PWD building at Jaladarshini, Ms. Sindhuri said none of this was in violation of any heritage norms.

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