DKDFA opposes stalls in Nehru Maidan, files petition

Dakshina Kannada District Football Association (DKDFA), opposing the construction of temporary stalls for the sale of meat, vegetables and others in Nehru Maidan, filed a petition in the Second Additional Civil Judge and JMFC Court in Mangaluru.

Nehru Maidan is the biggest playground in the city and is used by a large number of people for sports practice and also for organising football and cricket tournaments.

“We want to save the playground for sports activities. The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has no right to divert the land for other purposes,” DKDFA president D M Aslam told DH.

The Association had sought an injunction against the ongoing construction of the stalls on the football ground by the MCC. Aslam said the court had ordered issue of notices to the defendants after hearing the case.

“I filed the petition on behalf of the DKDFA making Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner and the MCC Commissioner as defendants. We had appealed to the court to grant an injunction to stop the MCC from building temporary stalls for the vendors of Central Market. The court after hearing our arguments had decided to allow district administration and the MCC to submit their arguments,” he said.

Aslam said, “The authorities had not even discussed with sports associations before taking up the work. The land where the constructions are in progress was reserved for parking of vehicles and also to develop other amenities for the sports ground.”

A writ petition against the construction works in the Nehru Maidan is also pending before the High Court.

Based on the petition filed by Muhammed Hussain, Antony Sebastian, Vijaya Suvarna and 11 others, the High Court has ordered issue of notice to the MCC, Aslam added.