Waterlogged ground rains on sportspersons’ dreams

The Mahavir Stadium — the only sports facility managed by the Sports Department in Hisar — has been at a standstill for nearly six months as the main ground continues to be waterlogged.

The department runs 12 sports academies at the stadium, each with about 25 players, in addition to several other sportspersons — all of whom have been unable to practise for almost half a year.

Sportspersons complain that they are forced to take “unwarranted offs” from the ground during the monsoons almost every year.

But this time, this ‘break’, they say, has been too long, as the ground remains waterlogged.

Sportspersons said they had to find alternative grounds to practise on, but it was not possible to stick to rigorous training at makeshift facilities.

According to Sports Department officials, there are about 300 athletes and players of various sports in Hisar town and adjoining villages who regularly practise at the stadium. Sportspersons said they had to make do with alternative grounds — at the Giri Centre in the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University (HAU), and the Government College ground for practise.

But authorities at the Giri Centre object to their practise schedule, they said, as Sports Authority of India (SAI) players practise there too.

Officials at the waterlogged stadium said the ground was located on low-lying land; therefore, water collected there from adjoining localities too, in the absence of a proper drainage system.

A sportsperson said the poor condition of the stadium was a blatant example of the lack of intent on part of the state government to promote sports in Haryana.

District Sports Officer Naresh Kumar Saini said the ground was still not ready to be used for practise, and the authorities concerned had been trying to drain out water.

The authorities had submitted a proposal to the head office to elevate the level of the ground by earth-filling up to 7-8 ft, the DSO added, saying alternative arrangements had been made for the practising players.