Tarun Gogoi and Suresh Kalmadi at the meeting in Guwahati on Sunday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Sept. 10: The cloud over water sport appears to have lifted, finally. The chairman of the National Games Technical Conduct Committee, K.P. Singh Deo, today announced that Deepor Beel had been selected as the venue for rowing as well as canoeing and kayaking during the mega event.

Rejecting Saron Beel in Morigaon district as a feasible venue, Singh Deo said the decision was taken “keeping in view the safety and security of the players and the future utility of the infrastructure”.

“I visited both the sites yesterday and it seems Deepor Beel is the ideal one in view of the distance from the main venue. It would also be in compliance with the conventional Olympic rule of having the same venue for both events,” he said. He said the lengthy 63-km journey to Saron Beel would leave the players unfit for the competition.

“When you can have infrastructure developed at Rs 1 crore here, why should you spend Rs 2 crore in a distant place where the infrastructure’s utility will cease to exist after the Games?” he asked.

“Since the distance for rowing has been reduced to 1,000 metres from earlier 2,200 metres at the national level, it has become almost equivalent to canoeing and kayaking and both can be held on the same water course now,” Singh Deo explained.

Earlier, the canoeing and kayaking events were supposed to be held at Saron Beel and rowing at Deepor Beel. During his last visit a month ago, Singh Deo had suggested that the event be confined within the city.

Saron Beel had then been finalised as the venue after the dredging of Deepor Beel by Assam Science Technology and Environment Council struck legal, financial and logistical hurdles.

Singh Deo also announced that boxing would be held at the main sports complex at Sarusajai instead of the earlier allotted venue of Newfield.

Lawn bowls would be held at Sarusajai, and squash had been dropped from the list of Games disciplines, he informed.

About karate, IOA president Suresh Kalmadi informed that since the affiliation to an apex national body of the sport was sub-judice, the discipline would not be included in the Games.