Mangaluru Residents Rally to Save Historic Playground from Health Department Takeover
In a significant development, residents of Krishna Nagar, Bondel, in Marakada village, Mangaluru, are mobilizing for a major protest scheduled for Friday. The catalyst for this public outcry is the controversial allocation of the area's sole public playground to the Dakshina Kannada district health department. This 60-cent ground, a vital community hub for three decades, is now at the center of a fierce land rights battle.
Three Decades of Community Heritage Under Threat
The playground in question has been an indispensable part of local life for over 30 years, serving as the primary venue for a wide array of cultural, social, and community activities. Residents are now demanding that the land be retained exclusively as a public playground and are urging authorities to expedite the necessary changes in the land records to reflect this status.
At a press conference held on Thursday, Srinivas Salian, the president of the Sarvajanika Maidana Horata Samiti, highlighted a critical administrative discrepancy. He revealed that the land continues to be officially recorded in the Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC) as the property of the Dakshina Kannada district health department, despite its long-standing public use.
Salian detailed that numerous representations were submitted to the authorities when the land was initially earmarked for a health centre. However, these appeals from the community, pleading for the preservation of the ground as a public space, were met with silence and inaction from the officials.
RTI Revelation and Alternative Land Allocation
Adding another layer to the controversy, an RTI (Right to Information) reply uncovered that the government had previously allotted 48 cents of land adjacent to the playground to the Ayush department. Significantly, no development work has been initiated on this allocated plot in the past four years, raising questions about the urgency and necessity of seizing the existing playground.
Salim, another concerned resident, emphasized the playground's irreplaceable role in the locality. He pointed out that this open space is the only recreational area available for the residents of nearly 600 households, making its preservation a matter of urgent public necessity.
Salim further argued that, according to existing regulations, the government possesses the authority to reclaim land if no development activities are undertaken on sanctioned plots for over two years. He proposed a logical solution: the land allotted to the Ayush department, which remains undeveloped, could be transferred to the health department. This would allow the current playground to be officially notified and protected as a permanent public place.
Call for Immediate Administrative Action
The residents are now calling for swift intervention from the local administration. They have appealed directly to the Deputy Commissioner and the Tahsildar to take immediate steps to:
- Formally protect the playground from any allocation or takeover.
- Ensure the land record is amended to designate it as a public playground.
- Provide and maintain essential infrastructure to support children's sports and recreational activities on the ground.
The planned protest on Friday underscores the community's deep-seated attachment to this open space and their determination to safeguard it for future generations. The outcome of this standoff will set a significant precedent for the management of public lands and community spaces in urban Mangaluru.
