Clouds of doubt float in Jharkhand’s fate as a host for the Second Junior South Asian Federation (SAF) Athletics Championships, scheduled at Ranchi on September 28-29.
This negativity was highlighted during State Art, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Geetashree Oraon’s first visit at the Mega Sports Complex, Hotwar on Tuesday after being appointed as Minister of this concerned department on August 4.“looking at the present infrastructural conditions, it does not seem that we can host the upcoming SAF games. We ought to uplift the infrastructure,” Geetashree said after inspecting Birsa Munda Athletics stadium, hostels and Tikait Umrao shooting range at this world class sports hub on Wednesday.
While crossing the hostel rooms, she echoed ‘‘Kya tamasha hain bataiye’ (Tell me what is this farce!)” as the condition here has become pathetic due to the encroachment of para-military forces soldiers who were vacated recently after the suppression of Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA).Tracing the responsibility of such para-military forces, Oraon on renovating these hostel rooms told The Pioneer, “Defence personnel have to pay penalty for illegally using and then causing defects in the furnitures and room interiors. This sports infrastructure is a public property so we would assess certain funds from them as they have violated the asset’s discipline.”
Inspecting minute basic necessities at Khelgaon apartments from ninth to first floor flats meant for players accommodation during tournaments comprising 55 flats and seven penthouses she instructed her department, JOA officials and Nagarjuna Construction Company owner looking after this residential arena, to regularly focus on maintenance which has been lacking after the 34th National Games held at the state capital in 2011.Oraon’s visit was related to the 25th East Zone Athletics Championships to be held here on August 17 to 19 followed by 53rd National Open Athletics Championships from September 7 to 10.
Notably, the entire mega sports complex is devoid of regular usage leading hurdles for the players to search an apt practice place within the state capital. Oraon on this issue said, “A system must be made where sports associations are given regular scopes to utilise the various sports stadiums here. I suggest our department staffs to submit a report on the stadium usage from time to time,” Oraon said.
Ending her initial inspection, she went through the State Museum’s archeological items, books and auditorium reaching the Birsa Munda Football stadium where staffs were scolded for organizing commercial based functions instead of leveling the playground for the deserving footballers. Oraon is supposed to send reports on her inspection and host problems for SAF to Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.