HC notice to Govt over barricades

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday issued a notice to the State government over a petition seeking removal of barricades and blocks put on the synthetic track and field at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Arjuna awardee Ashwini Nachappa, along with 49 other athletes and coaches, had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), seeking directions to remove the barricades and blocks put up by Bengaluru Football Club, claiming that it was causing problems for the athletes while training.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice H G Ramesh and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar was hearing a petition filed by the athletes.

According to the petitioners, the 400-metre synthetic track of the Sree Kanteerava stadium had been constructed solely for the purpose of athletic and was meant for the use of the athletes for practice sessions.

The athletes, the petitioners claimed, were not able to use the track and field for their practices and all their representations to the authorities concerned in this regard had fallen on deaf ears.

According to the petitioners, the field meant for athletics practice had been illegally given away to a private establishment  and  that playing football on the said  field had caused damage to the synthetic track.