It’s been years since the Borim locals have been demanding a football ground in their village but unfortunately their dreams have hit a roadblock.
It may be recalled that the Government had initiated the work by spending over Rs 1 crore at Kalmamal, Borim.
Earlier, the land for the football ground was acquired for the expansion of existing small ground at Kalmamal Borim. However, due to its rocky terrain, the work came to a grinding halt as some residents near the ground opposed to the clearing of rocks via blasting method, fearing that their houses would develop cracks and would collapse anytime.
The Borim youth used to play football at the small ground for the past 25 years and ever since the Government sanctioned Rs 1 cr for its development into a major ground in 2015, the same has been under construction since then. The site being a rocky terrain and with no work progressing, the youth have been left disappointed as the funds sanctioned for the same have been utilised to clear the rocks.
Youths have demanded that the government complete the ground before monsoon this year. The issue has dominated the gram sabha for the last three years with the locals demanding the ground be completed at the earliest.
The residents near the football ground claimed that the contractor has dumped heaps of mud to level the ground but has failed to construct a storm water drain at the site and they fear flooding during monsoons.
Sarpanch Bhavana Naik sought support from the villagers since the panchayat body is new.
“I am constantly following up the ground work with the contractor. Currently mud levelling is in progress. However, the rocky terrain is the major obstacle,” said Deputy Sarpanch Constancio Luis.
Local youth and sportspersons at Borim Jayesh Naik, Durgaprasad Ramani have demanded the ground be completed by May-end since local youth are deprived of displaying their talents for the past many years due to incomplete ground.
The work on ground was undertaken under the tribal welfare scheme in 2015 by spending almost more than Rs 1.50 crore. They said the majority of money has been used for clearing the rocky terrain.
