Yashwant Stadium craves for maintenance
| Date :20-Nov-2020 |
The playfield at Yashwant Stadium is full with weeds and long grass. Authotiries are hardly taking any care of the
stadium which has forced handball players to clean the ground on their own. (Pics Anil Futane)
By Paritosh Pramanik :
Eventhough Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed on giving importance to sports and fitness for a healthy India, those associated with the sports and fitness and its development in the country, and Nagpur in particular, seem least bothered. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has several stadiums under its control but the civic authority has ignored maintenance of those stadiums - open as well as indoor. The coronavirus pandemic-imposed lockdown since March also played its role in worsening the condition of these venues.
The sprawling and once city’s pride, Yashwant Stadium, too, is being neglected for years. At present the field is engulfed with tall grass of around 3-4 feet. Hardly has any maintenance been carried out by the authority. A request by the officials of Nagpur District Handball Association (NDHA), too, fell on deaf ears. The stadium, for past several decades, is home for handball players which included a few international stars too. Handball practice is regular at the stadium for many years. After Mission Begin Again and during phases of unlocking the city, authorities permitted outdoor practice with SOPs.
Handball players, too, decided to start their fitness at the stadium but due to lockdown their playing area was completely under bushes and weeds. Even after their request to NMC officials the ground was not made playable. With no other option, the players themselves started cutting the bushes and cleared their playing area. According to Dr Sunil Bhotmange, Secretary, NDHA, he has spent a few thousand rupees from his pocket on maintenance of the ground. “I have spent Rs 3000 from my pocket to clear the area. It was full of grass. Even the players took the effort to cut the grass and make the area playable.
This is the job of NMC officials to make the ground playable. We are doing our evening fitness sessions at Dhanwate National College ground. But we need this place too for practice matches," said Bhotmange. The players, who have spent days and night on the field and treated it as their second home, even celebrated Diwali at the venue by lighting earthen lamps.