Playing Field of Broken Promises: Handwara’s cry for sports ground

Kupwara, Jan 12: Locals in north Kashmir’s Handwara have raised a demand for the construction of a playground in the town, urging the government to fulfil its decade-old promise of constructing a sports stadium in the town.

Locals in the area said that despite being the administrative hub for over 200 villages in the sub-district, Handwara lacks a proper sports facility, leaving local youth and aspiring players disheartened.

Locals, while accusing the authorities of neglecting sports infrastructure demand in the area, said that while the government was emphasising promoting sports to combat drug abuse and other social issues, they were ignoring their demands for sports infrastructure to engage youth in sporting activities.

"I am unable to figure out that on one side the government is taking concrete steps in eradicating the drug menace from society by organising different sports events, but on the other side our basic demand is not being heard," a local cricketer told Greater Kashmir.

As per the locals in the area, the matter has drawn attention, as previous plans for a sports stadium in the area were shelved, exacerbating the frustrations of sports enthusiasts in the region. The residents said that the whole Handwara Sub District consisted of two hundred and seven villages, with Handwara being the headquarter and not having a sophisticated playground.

The residents said that ten years ago, the government approved construction of a sophisticated sports stadium near Bye Pass Handwara, following which over 50 Kanals of land were taken from farmers.

However, according to the locals, Sports Council Department did initiate with some construction plans, but after the PDP-BJP dispensation took over, the proposed sports stadium land was transferred to the Science and Technology department for construction of a Bio-Tech park.

"We came to know that the Science and Technology department has paid the amount to the Sports Council, which was given as compensation to farmers at the time of the procurement of land," said a former local cricketer.

"We want the government to utilize that same amount for the construction of a sports stadium at some other feasible place in Handwara," he added.

He said that players all across Kashmir would come to Handwara to participate in different sports events, but due to the non-availability of ground, there was a changed scene all together.

"Handwara has produced a large number of great players in the past, and now seeing these young players suffering due to a lack of playground really hurts," said another former player.

The players said that they used to play in Boys Higher Secondary School Handwara's ground, but the pathetic condition of the playground has turned that unfit for playing.

The residents, including civil society, in Handwara have appealed J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to look into the matter and approve a separate playground for Handwara.