Helipad turned into volleyball ground, admn orders probe

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, March 20

Residents of Malanu village in Thathri of Doda district have accused the village sarpanch of allowing the construction of a volleyball ground on the sole helipad meant for medical emergencies. The district administration has asked the J&K Sports Council and the PWD to provide information about it. Doda district is a mountainous region where road accidents take place frequently. The helipad is meant for medical evacuations. Choppers have landed here not more than three times since 2007 when it was constructed, residents said.

A social activist, Asif Iqbal, said there was no other helipad in the tehsil. “After the tendering process for a synthetic volleyball court, the work was taken up by a contractor who got almost a ready-made plain area. The sports council and PWD should have consulted each other before allowing the construction,” said Iqbal who took up the matter with the Thathri SDM.

An approach road was also built for the helipad during its construction, he said, adding that the site was not suitable for a volleyball court as it was atop a hill and surrounded by gorges.

Meanwhile, Sarpanch Zafarullah Magray said officials from the J&K Sports Council approached him for identification of land. “I showed them two places but they said machines wouldn’t be able to reach those sites. They asked me to allow construction on the helipad. I asked them to get a no objection certificate before starting the work,” he said. “The helipad has been used twice or thrice since its construction in 2007. The construction of the volleyball ground started in December last year. No one spoke at that time, but they are now accusing me of scam,” he said. SDM Athar Amin Zargar told The Tribune that a probe had been launched. “We are trying to know if it was a designated helipad. The probe result will come out soon,” he added.

Probe underway

A probe has been launched. We are trying to know if it was a designated helipad. The probe report will be out soon. — Athar Amin Zargar, SDM

Feasibility

I showed two places to officials of the J&K Sports Council but they said machines won’t be able to reach those sites. — Zafarullah Magray, sarpanch