MADURAI: A dispute between Kodaikanal Boat & Rowing Club and the hill town Municipality over the using the lake for sporting activities, inadvertently triggered an accident in which a local man fell inside the lake. A 36-year-old rower who went into the lake to participate in the state level junior champion rowing competition selections on Friday morning was allegedly stopped by the municipal officials, claimed G Bhavani Shankar, honorary secretary the club.
In the melee, Eswaran from Kodaikanal slipped into the lake. Immediately, the rescue team baled him out and admitted him to Kodaikanal Government hospital. Nearly 67 rowers who gathered from various parts of the state for the competition were dismayed by the incident. However, the Kodaikanal municipal commissioner K Saravanan denied their involvement in the incident. “It is a stage-managed one to divert the issue when the municipality officials asked them to provide details about protective measures they have taken for conducting the event,” he said.
Bhavani Shankar alleged that the municipality behaved in highhanded manner demanding money for conducting rowing competition in the lake despite the High court's order. He further said that the court order banned the local authorities from collecting money for sporting activities conducted in the lake way back in 1986 itself. The junior championship selection is a three-day event and the club on behalf of Tamil Nadu Rowing Federation, have intimated the municipality, said Bhavani Shankar. After holding talks with the club, the commissioner allowed them to complete the sporting competition before 9 am. “As of now, we have exempted them from paying the money,” he added.
