Suhail Bhat
Tral, June 11: It has been nearly three decades since the then Government allotted land for the purpose of construction of stadium in Tral area of Pulwama district and concerned department’s failure to initiate the construction has ‘wasted the whole initiate’ and left people dejected.
An official at Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council said in year 1985, the then Government handed over nearly 60 kanals of land to the Sports Department for the construction of the stadium. He said that an additional 60 kanals were given to the Sports department but they failed to put the space to use. “Despite an availability of sprawling 120 kanals of land the youth have to travel to adjoining villages to play cricket. The allotted land is useless and unfit to play. None seems to be interested in this place,” he said.
He said nearly 2600 youth from around122 villages would have used the services of the stadium but they are forced to travel several kilometers for any sort of sports activity. “There is a clear lack of will from the Government,” he said.
Locals of the area said successive Governments’ failure to deliver on their promises have left the whole populace dejected and they feel ignored. “For last 30 years people have come here and made promises but fails to deliver. In 2011, the then Sports Minister R S Chib visited the sports stadium and announced an amount of Rs 6 lakhs for its repairing. Thereafter, another Sports Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din came in the year 2013 and announced Rs 5 crores. The refilling of the stadium was started but left in midway. What happened to the announced money none knows?” they said.
The locals said that in the year 2014 one portion of the ground was dedicated to the football lovers and work also picked up but it was also left midway. “Earth cutting and refilling was started but was left midway for the reasons know to the authority,” they said.
Rouful Ahmad, a local from Amlar village of Tral, said local youth have to travel to places like Chursoo to play cricket and other games that discourage them. “Despite the availability of land youth here have to travel several kilometers to play. It is unfortunate. Three decades is a lot of time. This tells you the seriousness of the Government towards its people,” he said.
MLA Tral Mushtaq Ahmad Shah said initially there was a dispute over the land share between the Department of Sericulture and Sports Council which took several years to settle. “After conducting several board meetings it was decided that the land should be allotted to Sports Council,” he said.
The legislator said the Government has no dearth of funds this time but due to growing hostilities between militants and security forces the officials are unable to inspect the site. “Funds are available with us and once tensions de-escalate the construction work will be picked up. Rs 4 crores are available with us and by the end of this month, if the situation remains under control, the work on the stadium will start,” he said.
Asked about the encroachment and raising of illegal structures on the land that belonged to the stadium at some places, he said: “Demarcation of the land has happened with negotiations from different departments that were the stakeholders in the land. We have demarcated the land completely now and I will visit the stadium to see if any land grab has taken place and anyone is found guilty we will take strict action.”
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