Nagpur hockey ground declared unfit in June now hosts school tournaments, raising questions

The dispute over the Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) ground on Amravati Road in Nagpur has returned to the spotlight. In a report submitted to the district administration in June, the district sports department had said the ground was unfit for play. School hockey competitions are now being held on the same ground. This has raised questions over that report and over the move to cancel the ground's lease.

The VHA had filed an appeal under Section 247 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966. The Additional Divisional Commissioner dismissed the appeal and upheld the District Collector's order. The decision to cancel the lease on 3.80 hectares of nazul land and take the land into government possession thus stands.

Pallavi Dhatrak, the then District Sports Officer, said she had prepared the report on the basis of information received after an inspection by two officials. Shashikant Kalbe clarified that the report was not prepared during his tenure.

The VHA's lease on the ground was valid until 2037, but the district administration moved to cancel it before the term ended. Pallavi Dhatrak's report had mentioned the ground's uneven surface, potholes, lack of maintenance and lack of basic facilities. The nazul department then issued a notice regarding possession of the ground. Now that competitions are being held on the same ground, people are asking what the yardstick was for declaring it unfit. The appeal has been dismissed and the legal battle continues.

VHA administrator Trilokinath Sidhra has alleged that the action to take possession of the ground was politically motivated. He claims the report was prepared by putting political pressure on officials. He said that when he approached the Chief Minister about it, he received only assurances. The allegations have not been independently verified.

On August 29, National Sports Day, the VHA held a Vidarbha-level hockey competition on the same ground. Teams from several districts, including Nagpur, Wardha, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur, took part. VHA coordinator Krishna Joshi said the ground is fit for play.

Krishna Joshi also said that after the appeal was dismissed on September 28, he wrote to the Additional Divisional Commissioner, the District Collector and the tehsildar. The letter requests that action on the ground be put on hold for the period available to file a further appeal. With contradictory positions on the same ground emerging four months apart, there are demands for transparency in the basis of the sports department's report and in the process of taking possession of the ground.