JAMMU, Nov 19:
Players, especially those at Multipurpose Hall of Indoor Complex at Maulana Azad Stadium, attending regular coaching sessions have expressed unhappiness over poor facilities and demanded installation of genset for smooth conduct of sports activities.
Lashing out at the concerned authorities, the players alleged that way back, Multipurpose Hall of Indoor Complex was constructed but astonishingly, till date, the genset was not installed at the complex, which caters hundreds of players attending training sessions of Badminton, Table Tennis, Judo, Gymnastics daily besides hosting competitions of national level repute.
Notably, Maulana Azad Stadium is coming up as international level stadium exclusively for cricket.
Meanwhile, indoor complexes within the premises of the stadium are being looked after by the Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council.
“Concerned authorities expect results overnight but how is it possible when good infrastructure and facilities to the players are not being made available,” a player expressed.
He said, ”There is no genset (electricity generator) at Indoor Complex, which effects our routine practice session due to scheduled or unscheduled power cuts.”
”Irony is that the multipurpose hall is also used by different sports associations to host national level competitions and when there is a power failure, either the matches get hampered or temporary arrangement is made to run the show,” said a senior peddler.
”How can we expect performance when a facility like genset-one of the major requirements, has not been made available to the players,” he rued.
“Some of the halls were renovated and face-lifted in the recent past but genset facility is still absent,” said a senior official pleading anonymity adding that in summer season, power supply is mandatory for players to prevent humid conditions inside the hall and in winter season, when national competitions are at its peak, it grew darkness by evening and without lights, training sessions cannot happen.
Another official said, ”Surplus is spent on raising infrastructure and the genset costs in lakhs, which is not a big deal for the concerned department but why it has been ignored since decades despite several proposals, cannot be understood.”
He also added that a new multipurpose hall is coming up adjoining to under renovation cricket stadium and it will have a genset facility, adding, ”a national level Table Tennis Championship will be hosted at new complex in the first week of December.”
“In old complex, there is only an inverter facility available but it is not sufficient to solve the problem as the device in not enough to meet the load of lights and fans inside the hall,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, some of the players also raised concern over dirty toilets, poor drinking water facility and non-availability of changing rooms at Indoor Complex of the stadium. (UNI)
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