Football is a State game. Government boasts of excellent facilities, but rarely found in rural areas. Palmar, Pomburpa, is the oldest ground among the neighbouring villages, which is nearby the church and a stone throw away from the St Elizabeth’s High School.
The ground is in total neglect. The school students use it in the morning for physical training and playing various games such as like football and baseball. In the evening, the local youth play football and cricket, on many occasions, tournaments and friendly matches are held.
The irony is an old electric pole close to the cemetery wall erected long time back, which was needed, but the pole would pose no risk to the play. Sometime back, another electric pole has been erected at the other end of the cemetery wall to illuminate the area with LED lamp, not in need, but for show. From old electric pole to new electric pole high tension power lines has been pulled, which is few metres above the outer line of the ground.
While playing, the ball often hits the live wires and rebound into play. The fear is with the impact of the ball; the live wire can break and come down on the ground. Such, negligence of an impending danger is nowhere seen in football arena.
Now, who is to be blamed for this danger, the Electricity Department can’t be blamed. When the local body sends a written request to the Electricity Department to erect e-pole and overhead wire installation, it was the duty of Electricity Department to obey the request. Prior to sending the request, the local body should have given scientific explanation on the safety aspect of the playground. The local body should admit their fallout of development and should remove the overhead wire and replace it with the two-way cable before innocent lives are lost due to sheer negligence.
