Jajpur Road: The lone stadium in this town, which hosts many district and state level sport events and other functions throughout the year, is plagued by many problems.
The Independence Day will be celebrated here. Besides, cricket and football matches are played and practised here on a regular basis. Walkers, Yoga and health enthusiasts throng the stadium in the morning.
Despite it being a favourite place for sports and health buffs, it is not maintained well. The ground is muddy and overgrown with weed and bushes. Fearing reptiles, most of the regular users have stopped coming to the stadium.
The then sports minister Debashis Nayak had once announced that it would be converted into a district level stadium with sports hostel facilities.
Meanwhile, Korei MLA Akash Das Nayak laid the stadium’s foundation stone March 19, 2017, and Rs 25 lakh was reportedly sanctioned by the sports department. The municipality was entrusted with the job to execute the project. It floated tenders and awarded work order to the contractor.
For unknown reasons, the contractor left the work in midway, leaving it to get damaged. The civic body has also not taken any steps against the errant contractor.
Meanwhile, the sports department has shown interest to develop the stadium but the municipality is allegedly against handing it over to the department. As a result, the required grant is not forthcoming and the stadium continues to face neglect.
District sports officer Fakir Mohan Tudu said Rs 25 lakh was given to the civic body. More funds will be released after utilisation of the given money, he said.
Secretary, Jajpur District Athletic Association, Sambit Mohanty, accused the municipality of having little interest in the development of the stadium. “The association has written several letters to the Collector asking for the handover of the stadium to the association. The Collector, on the other hand, has written letters twice in this regard to the sports department. But the municipality is yet to hand it over,” Mohanty alleged.
“The ongoing tussle between the civic body and the district administration has spelled doom for the stadium,” a local sports lover rued.
PNN
