It has been over a decade now since Jharkhand had organised the 34th National Games, but the organising committee constituted in February 2011 is yet to be dissolved and the assets created during the games in Dhanbad are in ruins.
Zubair Allam, who then was joint organising secretary of the games and was looking after events held in Dhanbad, said the organising committee still exists though other committees formed during the games period have been dissolved.
Alam could not state a reason for this situation and said that the sports department should have an answer. Though he also hinted that a case on select committee members of misuse of funds is pending.
Alam expressed deep concern over the ruining of assets that were created during the games period in Dhanbad.
The assets include two sports hostels — one at Gogna, Maithon and other as Birsa Munda Park in Dhanbad, two Squash courts, two courts for Sepak Takraw and several boats for water sports. Besides an electronic score board too was installed near Gogna Hostel for judgement of water sports.
Allam said all sports items worth several crores kept at Gouna hostel either have been stolen or have been set ablaze despite being under protection of the district administration. The hostel here is in a dilapidated condition and similar is condition of the second hostel as it is being used as warehouse for storing ballot boxes and EVMs.
Similarly, one of the Squash courts built at the cost of around Rs 1 crore on land provided by the district board now is in ruins. Soon after games it was sealed by the district board terming it as an encroachment and still the situation remains the same. However, cases of theft of fixtures have been reported here too besides that at Gogna Hostel.
Similarly, the Sepak Takraw court agion has been converted into a badminton court.
Allam said in one decade no attempt was taken to save these for sports persons. Announcement of setting up a water sports Academy at Gogna by Kayaking and Knowing Association during the National games still remains an announcement.
Games organising secretary SM Hashmi refused to comment on this issue.