Srinagar, Oct 18 (KNS): An absence of play field in HMT area of Srinagar has left hundreds of cricket and football players to suffer with people affiliated with any sport being forced to visit other places to play.
Accusing the authorities for ignoring their plights, the residents especially sportsmen here have demanded immediate redressal of their grievance.
The locals said that a good chunk of land at Zainakote was given on lease by the government, which earlier was being used as playground. “People who were using the land as playing field also invested made some investment too on the land to make the ground comfortable to play,” the locals said, adding that but the land was later given on lease by the administration, thus leaving sportsmen to lurch at large.
“Some time before, the State Government took the land back but now, the efforts are being made to allot the land to some influential people to set up their industrial units,” Ahmad Ayaz, a social activist said.
“In the event of any allotment of playground land for establishing Industrial units or for any other purpose other than a playground, the youth of the area who have been using this as a playground since long, will be deprived of the playground,” he said.
He also appealed the government to look into the interests of youth as there was no playground facility available in the vicinity alternatively. (KNS)