For Uttarakhand that has failed to have a sports policy and has taken over a decade to bring the much-talked about sports stadium at Haldwani to its implementation stage in its 14 years journey, it may not be less challenging to put basic infrastructure as part of its preparations for hosting national games in 2018.
The matter of concern is that even after 14 years of its journey Uttarakhand has neither any sports policy nor necessary sports infrastructure of national or international standard in its districts except Dehradun. Keeping in view its poor strength in terms of basic sports facilities, Chief Minister Harish Rawat announced that the Government would develop 10 sports grounds in every district, while laying the foundation stone of the sports stadium in Haldwani’s Golapar recently in November.
More so, in view of paucity of sporting manpower in schools, he also said the Government would appoint BP. Ed and other such trained people having expertise in sports as guest trainer in schools so that student could learn basics of sports even in schools. He also announced to keep a budgetary allocation of Rs100 crore in the Budget -2015-2016 for hosting the National Games in 2018, promising to strengthen basic sports infrastructure across the State.
However, the fact is that the State Government may generate necessary funds to host the National Games in 2018. But the question that strikes at everybody’s mind is that how can the State Government put in place necessary sports and other basic infrastructure at least in cities like Haldwani where the National Games are expected to be held.The said sports stadium which is under construction here at Golapar is likely to be completed within two years as per the agreement.
But it is yet to see how the State Government is going to construct 10 sports grounds in each district and improve the basic infrastructure like drinking water supply of city like Haldwani where some of the National Games are likely to be held in 2018. Mention worthy, due to poor storage capacity coupled with failure to replace over 40-year-old drinking water distribution system, there is not a single day when one part of Haldwani or the other is found reeling under the drinking water crisis.
Cities like Haldwani are expanding fast. But its urban character has not been developed according to its increasing population. Whereas the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand has laid stress on improving the basic sports infrastructure across the State after Uttarakhand being selected for hosting the National Games in 2018, he has also laid stress on the development of basic infrastructure.
So it is to be seen how the mountain state becomes able to put in place necessary infrastructure ahead of the National Games in 2018 where successive Governments have not yet been able to replace an old drinking water distribution system in city like Haldwani during a decade or so to smoothen the said basic service.