Minister promises stern action into cracks in newly built players’ pavilion
LUCKNOW: Sports and youth welfare minister Che tan Ch au han on Wednesday promised stern action against those responsible for crack sand leak age in the roof of the newly built players’ pavilion at the state governmentowned Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
While ordering an enquiry, Chauhan, a former Indian cricketer, said action would be taken against construction agency, contractor and even local sports officials if found guilty.
“It’s a grave offence and no one would be spa red if found guilty in the enquiry,” Chauhan said.
He also expressed surprise that happened despite his repeated instructions to the sports directorate officials to keep a strict vigil on the quality construction of sporting infrastructure in their areas.
“I have told the sports directorate as well as the regional sports office officials to take up the issue on priority,” he added.
Utt ar Pradesh Cricket Association, which pays Rs 1 crore as annual rent for the Green Park Stadium to the state government, too has recommended an enquiry into the issue.
“Yes, we demanded an enquiry and action should be taken against the people responsible for this,” UPCA’s secretary Yudhveer Singh said on Wednesday.
It is learnt that rain water seeped into the players’ pavilion (worth Rs 33.75 cr ore) last week as its roof developed cracks allegedly due to the use of inferior quality of construction material.
This, however, let the rain water fall on the chairs, sofas in the pavilion and the authorities concerned had no other option but to remove the things from there. The roof, as per an eyewit-
ness, has developed big cracks. As soon as the issue came to the fore, company responsible for its construction allegedly tried to hush up the issue by applying patch work on the cracks which proved ineffective.
The project had started in May 2016 and was supposed to be finished by March 2017 but even after the 16 months the construction is going on.
Government’s own nodal a gen cyUtt ar Pradesh Av as Vik as is the construction agency whereas a local contractor has been assigned the job of construction. Interestingly, even without the han ding over of the construction site, some VVIP spectators were allowed to sit there and enjoy the India-England T20 match in October last.
Director, sports, RP Singh claimed that the pavilion was yet to be completed .“We haven’ t paid even a single rupee for this and we have got nothing to do with this. We would not take over the building if it has shortcomings. All responsibility of the construction site is of A was Vika sand even after the handing over the site would remain a responsibility of the construction agency,” he said.
Contrary to this, regional sports officer A jay Set hi admitted that he came to know about the issue through newspapers, and has sent his report, recommending immediate action againstthe construction agency.
“In my report, I have recommended an enquiry into the episode and have asked the project manager to give his reply,” said Sethi, adding, “If required, cracks would be re constructed .”