Mangaluru : Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader has said that a green signal has been given for the construction of a water sports centre at Ullal beach. Speaking to mediapersons in the city on Sunday, he said that the water sports centre will help promote tourism in the region.

“Minister for Youth Empowerment and Sports Abhayachandra Jain has sanctioned Rs 1 crore for the centre, which will be maintained through an organisation. The centre will have speed boat, jet skiing, surfing, and other water sports activities,” said the minister.

The Minister said that BBMP former corporator N R Ramesh’s allegations of large scale irregularities in the purchase of drugs under the National Health Mission are baseless. “I am ready for any kind of probe into the allegations. If the probe unveils any truth in the allegation, then I will even retire from politics,” he said. Khader said that under National Health Mission, a sum of Rs 42 crore was allocated to the Karnataka Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society, but only Rs 15 crore of the amount was earmarked for the purchase of drugs.

Pushing for the need to implement Paschima Vahini project, the minister said that there is a need to impress upon the chief minister to sanction the project. “The Paschima Vahini project involves the construction of a series of check-dams at different points along the Kumaradhara and the Nethravathi for recharging groundwater. The Yettinahole project, which involves supplying water to the parched districts of Tumakuru, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural and Kolar, cannot be stopped at this juncture. If Janardhan Poojary was the MP from this region, then he would have had the capacity to stop the implementation of the project,” he added.

“The dispute between two factions to wrest administrative control of the Ullal Juma Masjid and Sayyed Madani Dargah needs to be solved amicably through mutual trust and love. Religious leaders and political leaders will find a solution to the row. Appointing the administrator as recommended by Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner should be a last option to sort out the problem,” the minister advised.