Sports activities hamper in Samba
Goldi Sharma Asgotra
JAMMU, Jan 15: The nonchalant approach of Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC) and Youth Services and Sports Department can be gauged from the fact that the lone district Sports stadium of Samba is yet to be officially handed over to the Council, even after the lapse of two years since its completion by the executing agency. Moreover due to failure to take possession, the Sports Council has so far not deputed any coach for various sports, thus depriving the sportspersons of coaching benefits.
According to officials, the construction of district Sports stadium in Samba was started in the year 2012, when the then Youth Affairs and Sports Minister, R S Chib had laid its foundation stone in the month of April 2012, near the Bhargava College of Education. The estimated cost of construction of the stadium was Rs. 2.33 crores.
The construction of the stadium was completed in the year 2016-17. Since then the stadium has been under the possession of District Youth Services and Sports department and it is running the department from one of the buildings of Stadium, officials informed.
“As per norms, after the completion of any sports infrastructure by the executing agency, the infrastructure has to be officially handed over to the JKSC, thereafter the Council engages coaches as per the requirements to give a push to various sports activities in the areas”, an official said.
Ironically, despite completion of the stadium it is yet to be handed over to the JKSC. Neither the District Youth and Sports department officially handed over the stadium to the JKSC nor the JKSC has initiated any process to take control of the stadium”, officials revealed.
Officials of the JKSC further claim that huge talent is available in Samba district and it is evident from the fact that three players from district Samba had played in international level competitions. These players include Surinder Singh Bagal, who had played international cricket matches while Nipu Jamwal had participated in Asian Games in Judo, while a boy from Gurah Slathia had excelled in mountain climbing competition.
After winning of medals by Nipu Jamwal, Jammu and Kashmir as well as Punjab Government had offered the post of Sub-Inspector in Police Department but the player had preferred Punjab Government offer over J&K.
“If the Samba stadium would have been under the control of the JKSC since its completion, handful of coaches of different disciplines would have been engaged by the Council there and the sports scenario will be different”, a player said.
District Youth Services and Sports officer Samba Kiran Jyoti and Divisionl Officer of the JKSC, Ravi Singh admitted that the stadium was still under the control of DYSS and was yet to be officially handed over to the Council.
“We have not received any official communiqué from the higher up of the Council regarding taking over the possession of the stadium so far”, said Ravi Singh.
He further said that the coaches and other ground maintainers would only be engaged once the stadium comes officially under the control of the Council.
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