*Seeks information on many aspects from State, Union Govts
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 8: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Tashi Rabstan today directed Senior AAG SS Nanda to take instructions with regard to the proposal of the State Government for developing sports infrastructure in the Jammu Province.
While hearing a PIL seeking direction to Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association to immediately start the construction of International Stadium at Bajalta, DB observed, “the earlier order in which this court directed Deputy Commissioner, Jammu to ensure that the BCCI team is accompanied by the revenue officials as well as officials from the Building Department to facilitate the inspection has not been complied”.
Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi appearing for the BCCI submitted that letter dated 16th January, 2019 was specifically communicated to the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu and a copy of the same was also furnished to Senior AAG S S Nanda.
On this, DB directed, “let a copy of our last order and letter dated 16th January, 2019 be furnished to the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu who shall ensure compliance of last order”.
“There is no reason as to why the Central and the State Governments are not enhancing the facilities for sports other than the cricket in the State. Most of the sports in which India is competing at the international level, are completely absent from the State. It is common knowledge that even in Srinagar, there are barely three to four stadiums: one being the Bakshi Stadium which provides for playing football; the second is the Sher-i-Kashmir Indoor Stadium which provides for some indoor games; the third and fourth are TRC Ground and Polo Ground, where football and cricket are being played. The status in Jammu is not much better”, the DB observed.
“We are informed that there is not a single athletic track facility, swimming pools, basket-ball courts, baseball, to play carrom, chess, billiards and the other games in Srinagar. There are no public swimming pools in the city of Srinagar. There can be no doubt at all that sports enhances the physical and mental development of all persons”, the DB further said.
“Such facilities are available to the children, youth and persons of all ages and culture in every part of the country. These facilities must be made available to every child, youth and resident in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The Government has an essential responsibility to ensure that these facilities are provided to every person who is a resident of or visits the State of Jammu and Kashmir”, the DB said.
Stating that there was no reason at all as to why the Government of India as well as the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and the sports bodies ought not to ensure provisions of the sporting facilities in the State, the DB said, “it is time to remind ourselves of the Constitutional mandate of Section 21 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir which states that the State shall strive to secure to all children the right to happy childhood with adequate medical care and attention; equal opportunities in education and employment, protection against exploitation and against moral or material abandonment”.
“The State Government has been vested with the responsibility to secure to the children their right to a happy childhood has done precious little. The respondents cannot be permitted to maintain a blind eye to the hard reality that, more than for adults, a childhood and youth, spent without the freedom of playing in open spaces or participating in organized games and sports, could actually distort their development and the young minds”, the DB further observed.
The DB said, ” it is a shocking state of affairs that even a valuable water body as the Dal Lake which is available for developing and encouraging water sports is so grossly underutilized, if at all. Given the extreme lack of sporting facilities in the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir, we are compelled to take up this issue in the writ petition so as to ensure mandate of the Constitution of India as well as the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir”, the DB said.
Accordingly, DB directed Senior AAG to take instructions with regard to the proposal of the State Government for developing sports infrastructure in the Jammu Province.
Responding to the suggestion of Senior Advocate Sethi for creation of a sport city wherein integrated facilities could be created for various sports, the DB sought a report in this regard on the next date of hearing.
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