Stadium work stalled for paucity of funds

The work on construction of a stadium in Hirebidanur tank on the outskirts of the town has come to standstill for over three years. More than Rs 15 lakh has been so far spent on the work.

The town had no stadium two decades ago and the taluk administration took up the task of constructing one at a cost of Rs 35 lakh. However, the work stopped mid-way owing to paucity of funds. The pillars and barbed wire fencing put up around the area have been stolen and  shrubs cover up the gymnasium building.

No convincing reply is either available on the civic agency or the department entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the sports infrastructure. While the municipal administration points fingers towards Zilla Panchayat (Engineering) division, the latter say that theirs task is only to develop the infrastructure and they had no say in management.

However, students of junior college feel that sports persons too have not utilised the available infrastructure. Sports minister Goolihatti Shekhar had said that funds would be released for developing stadium in all the taluk centres of the State.

The incomplete structure stands as a testimony for public money, meant for development works  going waste. However, its time that the taluk administration springs into action so as to complete the work on the stadium and make it available for the benefit of the sports persons of the town.