Rohini Sindhuri IAS broke rules to get pool made at official residence: Probe report

Mysuru Regional Commissioner GC Prakash in his probe report over the construction of a swimming pool in Mysuru Deputy Commissioner’s official residence Jal Sannidhi has said that former Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri had not obtained the required permissions before the construction of the pool. The report states that Sindhuri violated norms by not seeking permission from either the Heritage Department or the empowered heritage committee before constructing the pool in Jal Sannidhi, which is a heritage property.

“No letter or permission has been received from the Commissioner of Archaeology and Heritage Department, Mysore for the construction of swimming pool and gym at the official residence of the Deputy Commissioner,” the probe report noted. No prior administrative sanction was obtained for the construction of the swimming pool, the report read.

In the probe report, Prakash also highlighted discrepancies in the project approval. The report observed that the construction was proposed on December 30, 2020, and was completed on February 26 the consecutive year. However, it was observed that the project was given approval in a general body meeting of the Nirmiti Kendra held on March 2, 2021. The findings contrast the previous comment made by Sindhuri that the construction was made for a government pilot-project by Nirmiti Kendra.

The swimming pool in the premises of the official residence of the DC was not open to the public, the report mentioned. Based on the same, it was inferred that the construction of the pool had no public interest.

The Karnataka government had ordered a probe into the purportedly illicitly constructed indoor gym and swimming pool earlier in June. Former minister and JD(S) MLA SR Mahesh had raised the issue on multiple occasions and released documents pertaining to the issue. Sindhuri had shot down his allegations and maintained that the construction was done within the law’s framework. The government directed Prakash to probe the issue and instructed him to submit a detailed report within seven days.

Reacting to the report, Rohini Sindhuri said, "The detailed enquiry trying to cover widest breadth of even technical issues is welcome. I wish the same detail and comprehensiveness was shown in enquiry into irregularities on land by powerful politicians. Enquiry on land irregularities was restricted to single point at behest of persons accused of land irregularities despite clear cut list of multiple land irregularities cited by me as DC Mysuru."

She added that he original complaint made by the MLA was found to be false.