PAU football grounds in mess after Diljit’s concert, sports fraternity expresses concern

The football grounds at the Punjab Agricultural University campus here, where Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh’s concert was organised on December 31, have been left in a pitiable condition. Sportspersons and sports organisers shared their concerns, drawing attention to the grounds’ pathetic condition after the concert.

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They opined that holding such events at playgrounds or sports facilities could damage the infrastructure, disrupt sports activities and impact the training schedules of athletes. It was necessary to strike a balance between promoting cultural events and preserving sports facilities.

After three days of the event, during a visit to the venue on Saturday, it appeared the grounds at the PAU were damaged due to the presence of trucks on the field as these heavy vehicles were used to load and unload the concert material for the cultural event, which resulted in the damage to the ground. Some workers were still there to wrap up the equipment used for the concert.

Teja Singh Dhaliwal, a prominent figure in the sports fraternity and general secretary of Punjab Basketball Association, strongly condemned the use of sports facilities for non-sporting events. As a seasoned sports administrator, understanding the importance of maintaining dedicated spaces for sports development and training, he emphasised the need for special venues to be earmarked for events such as cultural programmes, festival and political rallies.

Dhaliwal recalled when he and other Ludhiana residents protested against the use of local Guru Nanak Stadium for cultural programmes. “We even courted arrest for opposing the organisation of the Dasehra festival at the stadium on September 30, 1979,” said Dhaliwal.

Col Jasjit Singh Gill, former student of the university and hockey player, said the vehicles such as trucks caused significant damage including, compaction of the soil, making it hard and uneven. The repeated movement of trucks created ruts and potholes, making it difficult to play sports on the field, said Gill.

“I agree that cultural events such as concerts and festivals are important for promoting arts and culture, but these should be held at designated venues such as auditoriums, stadiums specifically designed for events, temporary event venues, or open spaces not used for sports like in many countries,” added Gill.

A retired professor from the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Apminder Singh Brar, said no doubt the event was successfully organised from the performance point of view and maintenance of discipline, but the damage to two grounds seemed irreparable.

Brar said playgrounds were prepared after a lot of hardships and it was essential to take precautions when hosting non-sporting events to prevent damage that included using alternative routes for heavy vehicles, laying down protective coverings and ensuring that the ground was restored to its original condition after the event.

Ajaypal Singh Roomi, general secretary, Hockey, Ludhiana, also expressed his concerns. The grounds at the university campus remained inaccessible for sportspersons before and after the event, resulting in disrupting their preparations for the upcoming championships, he said.

PAU Students’ Welfare director Nirmal Singh Jaura, however, said whatever damage had occurred was limited to areas outside the playing field. The organisers of the concert had taken the responsibility to repair and rectify the damage. The PAU was taking steps to ensure that the sports facilities were maintained and restored to their original condition so that sports activities were are not derailed, said Jaura.