By Paritosh Pramanik
Nagpur, June 18, 2016
HOCKEY players’ dream of playing on an astro turf in Nagpur will take a few more years to become reality. After all the steps taken by the game’s governing body, Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA), to bring astro turf on its playfield off Amravati Road the proposal is caught in bureaucratic
red-tape.
Hockey players in the region have been deprived of astro turf since last five decades. VHA did take positive steps through its previous body led by BC Bhartia and Vinod Gavai. The good work was carried forward by the present body headed by Radheshyam Sarda.
As per the process the association submitted proposals to the District Sports Office and other concerned government departments. Letters and proposals were drafted and dispatched to Maharashtra Government in January which recommended financial grant for the project to the Union Sports Ministry.
The School Education and Sports Department, Government of Maharashtra, on April 22, forwarded VHA’s proposal to the Ministry of Youth Affairs
and Sports, New Delhi requesting them to grant 100 per cent financial assistance for Synthetic playing surface under Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS).
“Please refer to the proposal of Vidarbha Hockey Association, Nagpur for granting 100% financial assistance for Synthetic Playing Surface Under Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) forwarded herewith.
You are requested to sanction the said proposal,” the letter, signed by SN Joshi, Under Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra, stated.
However, the proposal is now caught in the proverbial bureaucratic red-tape and yet to see light of the day. The elevation of then Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as Chief Minister of Assam further added to the hurdle.
VHA President Sarda said a VHA representative had met Sonowal a couple of days before Assam elections but after that the process came to a grinding halt.
“On our behalf MP Ajay Sancheti had met Sonowal a few days before Assam elections. Sonowal had assured to speed up the matter. Call it our bad luck, he was elected as the Chief Minister of Assam and the Sports Minister’s post got vacant,” Sarda told ‘The Hitavada’.
“We are continuously following up on the issue,” he added.
“Once funds are granted then we can make a speedy progress. After Central Government grants us the desired fund their officials would prepare a blue print for astro turf,” Sarda informed.
VHA officials have now decided to meet Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to press for their demands.
If everything goes as scheduled, Fadnavis and Gadkari are likely to make an announcement
on astro turf when they attend the function to name a square after hockey legend
Major Dhyanchand in the last week of June.
“We had requested Nagpur Municipal Corporation to name Patrakar Colony square after Major Dhyanchand. Mayor Pravin Datke accepted our request and the function is likely to be held on June 26. CM Fadnavis and Gadkari both will remain present during the programme. We would request the ministers to speed up the matter,” said Sarda.
The VHA officials and hockey players are banking on Gadkari and Fadnavis’ commitment towards developing sports in Vidarbha region. In April both the top leaders had assured full support to sportsmen in the region while handing over land for SAI regional centre at Wathoda.
Lack of astro turf has badly affected development of the game in the region. In this year’s national tournaments organised by Hockey India in various age groups, city players moved to other states where they got chance to practice and
play on astro turf. Several
local players represented Hockey Maharashtra, Mumbai,Chhattisgarh and Manipur.
“We hardly get a chance to play on astro turf. There is no turf in entire Vidarbha whereas today’s hockey is played on turf all over the world,” one of the players lamented.
“More players would move away if the situation does not change,” he added.
The players are now hoping for the two big politicians from city to free their dream from bureaucratic shackles.
