The Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi was constructed in 1994 with a view to giving a fillip to sports events in Pune and budding sportsmen in the country. But today, the sports city finds itself in a shambles, caught as it is in a financial quagmire.The mammoth sports complex boasts of a main stadium, a swimming pool, a velodrome, lawn tennis courts, kho-kho and kabbadi grounds and a multi-purpose indoor stadium. But alas, none of them reflect their former glory. Weeds run riot, lush grass, slush and dirt are more in evidence than sportpersons and the landscape resembles the South American Pampas. It is unfortunate that the stadia still sport an abandoned look, even after assurances last year, that amends and repairs would be made. And this after crores were spent just to tell the world that we do possess sportsmanship and the spirit of competition!The Sports Directorate, however, has solid reasons for the complex showing the world a face of decrepitude. Says Officer on Special Duty Anand Khare, ``We cannot cut the grass during the monsoons, because even if we do, it is back to its original length of eight inches within a week. However, now that the rains have abated, we have started clearing operations. The slushy ground and wet tracks cannot be helped in this season, although the daily maintenance routine is followed rigorously''.The directorate has also got a maintenance schedule passed by the state-level Ministry of Sports, which is to be implemented soon. But the real obstacle is one of manpower, which is in short supply. ``This is because we are engaged in a legal wrangle over the labourers, who got a stay order from the Labour Courts, saying that since the directorate comes under government, they should be considered as government employees. The case is in the higher court now,'' he says.The Directorate for Sports Affairs, Pune, is aware of the problems and says it is doing its utmost to resolve the issue. Does that mean we can hope for a more improved landscape in the future?
