ROURKELA: As the astroturf pitches in all 17 blocks of the district remain a non-starter seven months after the grand declaration of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the lot-hyped move is now being dismissed as unbelievable using hockey experts. Those associated with the stick sport viewed that it seems no final thought had been given to the need for a new workforce, infrastructure, maintenance, and operational elements of polygrass fields. They stated that the declaration was made to create euphoria in the run-up to the Hockey World Cup 2018 and with an eye to the 2019 General Elections. Hockey officials and coaches pointed out that each astroturf on the block degree could require at least one professional education with four personnel, including a groundskeeper.
While renovation and operational factors continue to be the most important task, -time watering each day is a must. Each astro-turf would price Rs 6-7 crore while month-to-month operational expenditure might be above Rs 1 lakh, they were knowledgeable. Former PSH instructor and first authorities hockey coach Odisha Sylvester Toppo claimed that inspiration is nearly impossible to execute and will not get an effective outcome. Even if one-time capital expenditure is done on astroturf at 17 block headquarters, it will not be successfully utilized to tap and harness younger abilties until comparable hostels arise.
He stated that it is impossible for younger trainees from a ways-flung area of a block to visit and exercise daily in a centralized vicinity in the morning and nighttime. Even the state authorities-run Sundargarh Sports Hostel (SSH) installation at Sundargarh city in 1997 does not have an astroturf or natural ground for hockey. The 45 hockey trainees (boys) hold practice on the astroturf facility of the adjoining SAI-SAG center. This aside, replacing two astroturf at Rourkela-based Panposh Sports Hostel (PSH) has been pending for over four years.
The nation authorities-run PSH has alone produced fifty-four of the total sixty-three senior and junior worldwide hockey players of Sundargarh. Hockey icon and previous BJD Rajya Sabha member Dilip Tirkey had additionally initiated an effort to lay an astroturf at his native village, Saunamora, in Balishankar block; best the concrete base has been put in the last four years. District Sports Officer Tej Kumar Xess stated that the country authorities had requested the district administration to pick out the land for Astro-turf but refused to comment.
