Una hockey stadium to be inspected today

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Una, March 1

The astroturf hockey stadium brought up in Una at Rs 4 crore is under the scanner.

Sources here said a five-member committee comprising two former international hockey players, Deepak Thakur, who hails from Una, and Rajinder Singh, would inspect it tomorrow. The committee has been formed by the state government after Deepak and other players from the state had raised doubts about the quality of the stadium.

Deepak admitted that the committee would inspect the hockey stadium.

The district has produced two Olympians, Chanranjit Singh and Deepak Thakur. An international level astroturf hockey stadium was brought up in Una last year.

This is the second hockey stadium in the state. The other hockey ground is in Shilaru of Shimla district.

Since last year, not even a practice match has been held here. In the last one year, the condition of the stadium has deteriorated and it has become unfit for international hockey matches, the sources here said.

The maintenance of the stadium at Una is also a problem. The sources said the state Sports Department did not have funds for its maintenance.

An astroturf stadium requires regular maintenance for which the funds will have to be arranged by the department from its own sources. Besides, managing the stadium will also be problem.

The improper use of the stadium can cause damage to astroturf.