Improper maintenance of a newly-laid synthetic track and the damage caused to it by non-sporting activity at the Mangala Stadium came in for sharp criticism during the meeting of the District Stadium Committee held on Saturday.
Meeting
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim. Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat Tulasi Maddineni, the former Mangalore Urban Development Authority Chairperson K. Thejomaya, sports coaches and district athletic association members attended the meeting.
Mr. Ibrahim criticised the Deputy Director of Youth Services and Sports Panduranga Gowda for allowing an organisation to use the synthetic track for cultural activity.
As a head of the Stadium Committee, Mr. Ibrahim issued a notice to Mr. Gowda for the alleged irregularity.
Mr. Ibrahim did not agree with Mr. Gowda’s explanation that it was a sporting event. “Did you go deep into the request and check the invitation and know the nature of the event.”
Mr. Ibrahim disputed Mr. Gowda’s claim that there was no damage to the track because of the event. “How can you say this when you have allowed a truck to go across the track for unloading chairs?” Mr. Ibrahim said. He added that the stadium, henceforth, will not be given for any political, cultural or any other non-sports event.
Improper maintenance
Coaches and District Athletic Association representatives complained of improper maintenance of the newly laid synthetic tack. Coach Dinesh Kunder said there was no system of ensuring entry into the track only for people wearing proper spikes and canvas shoes.
Checking
There is nobody to check shoes at the entry point, Mr. Kunder said. He pointed to some students taking part in the ongoing Government ITI sports meet who had not come with proper shoes.
Sunil Kumar Shetty, a former athlete, said the track was wearing out because of the absence of watering. Watering work has been hampered due to a lack of the necessary number of sprinklers along the track.
“The contractor has only installed 11 of the 18 sprinklers ordered,” he said.
Mr. Shetty showed Mr. Ibrahim the bad condition of the pole vault area because of water logging.
Mr. Thejomaya showed the condition of steeple chase area where water gets logged at regular intervals.
There were complaints about some coaches allowing students from outside to practice on the synthetic track.
Maintenance
Mr. Ibrahim asked the association to take up the responsibility of watering the track and to ensure strict monitoring of persons being allowed into the track.
Complaints of improper work in Moodbidri
There were complaints about the quality of work on the synthetic track coming up at the Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri. District Athletic Association Secretary Arun Rao said the synthetic layer has not been laid in a properly and the track was uneven.
Mr. Ibrahim directed the Deputy Director of Youth Services and Sports Panduranga Gowda to take a group of former athletes for inspection and make a report about the nature of work.
