The Padmasree and Arjuna awardee plans to set up a swimming academy and a centre of excellence. She needs a plot of land for the project. But despite being a CPM legislator, she is not getting support from the government.

Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) had given her five acres of land at Patuli, South 24 Parganas last year. After the paperwork was done, Chowdhury sounded out the sponsors. The project was earmarked at Rs 2 crore.

The swimmer claims that a corporate house showed genuine interest when suddenly problems crept in.

Actually, the plot didn’t belong to the KMDA. Rather, it was given to a fishery co-operative agency on lease. That was the end of the story. Chowdhury hasn’t received an alternative proposal from the state government yet.

“I was trapped, and I am really disappointed. Ever since I won the English Channel for the first time in 1999, I have been dreaming about setting up a centre of excellence with all modern facilities. The initial response was very poor. After I became an MLA, I thought things would change and I would start getting administrative support. But I was wrong,” Chowdhury told The Indian Express.

“I am not giving up though. I will continue to fight. Let’s see what happens,” she added.

As for her Assembly constituency Nandanpur in West Midnapore, Chowdhury has done a lot for the promotion of sports in schools. “I have ensured that the schools in Nandanpur include sports in their curriculum. I have taken initiative to re-design some school grounds there. Also, I have taken initiative to start football and athletics coaching camps at some schools and clubs in my constituency.

“I must admit that I have had all the support from the state sports minister Subhas Chakraborty,” Chowdhury said.