TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The Opposition Thursday criticized the government for neglecting the upgradation of other sports facilities in the State, while crores are being spent to upgrade and construct new stadia to host Lusofonia Games scheduled to take off in November 2013.
The legislators even questioned the steps the government was taking to improve the quality of coaches. Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar assured the House that a report is being prepared which will evaluate the performance of the coaches and requirements at other sports grounds in all talukas.
Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho demanded the up-gradation of all sports grounds in the State while the infrastructure for Lusofonia games is being created. “All grounds should be upgraded in tune with Lusofonia Games so that in the next one year our sportsmen will perform well,” he told the House.
Tawadkar who repeated his minister-colleague Mahadev Naik’s statement that ‘Government does not have a magic wand’, however added that Lusofonia Games is a major responsibility at this juncture. At the same time, he assured to develop other sports grounds as well.
“After our government came to power, all legislators had proposed development of sports grounds in their respective areas. I have visited various places and we are doing the work,” he said.
Godinho subsequently questioned whether the infrastructure for Lusofonia Games would be of the best quality to which the minister replied in the positive.
Congress MLA Digambar Kamat and Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai subsequently raised another starred question for the minister about works carried out at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Fatorda for the multinational multi-sports games.
Tawadkar assured that the stadium, which desperately needed revamping since it was more than two decades old, is getting a face lift to host the Games.
The legislator was however unhappy that the mud from the Fatorda stadium was shifted to two sports stadia in Navelim and at Canacona during the Tribal Sports Festival.
Raising his voice repeatedly during the questioning, he asked why the mud was not being shifted to Don Bosco sports ground in Fatorda itself.
Sardesai even went a step ahead asking the government the details of expenditure.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, upset with this behaviour, intervened in the discussion saying he is ‘totally objecting to his (Sardesai) style of questioning’.
“I strongly object to the MLA’s argument. If there is anything wrong, he should inform the government. I will investigate if there is anything wrong… We don’t need his (Sardesai) permission on spending money for government works,” he said asking the legislator to conduct inspection of Fatorda ground to detect faults, if any. “Nothing is hidden. Everything is transparent,” Parrikar asserted.
On the issue of shifting mud from the one ground to Navelim and Canacona, Parrikar said the removal and shifting of mud was on government grounds and not private ones.
Meanwhile, Kamat urged the government to clear the mud piled up on the nearby ground to Jawaharlal Nehru stadium before the monsoon. He also requested the government to set up maintenance committee under the chairmanship of a minister, to which the Minister agreed.
Godinho also demanded assurance from the government to upgrade sports grounds in Mormugao and Chicalim stadium, ahead of Lusofonia Games.
Meanwhile, the issue of quality coaches for various sports was also discussed. Tawadkar said a special assessment report is being readied wherein requirements of coaches for various games, their performances and other aspects will be evaluated. For games without coaches, he assured, to rope them in from other states.
