The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

SPORT

City lacks indoor facilities
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, July 26 — The city and its two satellite towns Panchkula and SAS Nagar which between them contain a population of about 15 lakh, are devoid of a multisport indoor hall. Even the presence of five major sports institutions, the UT Sports Department, the Sports Authority of India, the Punjab Sports Department and the Haryana Sports Department and Panjab University, has not fulfilled this demand of the players.

Outdoor games which can be played indoors during bad weather are the worst affected. There do exist facilities for table tennis and judo, but a large number of other games have been left out. For instance, the ongoing handball camps for men women and also juniors have faced this handicap. DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, where the camps are being held, has a ground for handball but no indoor arrangement.

The men's team that left for Hong Kong had to lose many days of practice. Mr Syed Mustafa, the coach of the Indian junior probables, agrees that the absence of an indoor hall in a handicap for the players. The team will play in Iran where the centrally air-conditioned hall will pose a problem of adjustment to the environment. Moreover players who practice in indoor halls can have gum on their fingers for better ball control. Our players who practice outdoors cannot resort to this practice.

Mr Vijay Pal Singh, Vice- President of the Volleyball Federation of India, says that the NIS at Patiala holds several national level camps. But surprisingly, Chandigarh with its sports complexes in Sector 42, Sector 7, and Sector 46 and Panchkula and SAS Nagar, with similar facilities, are unable to hold such events.

He says that he has never able to ask the VFI to hold a national camp in Chandigarh for want of an indoor facility.

At present the city has a skating hall in Sector 10, gymnastics hall in Sector 7, squash courts in Sector 7 and Sector 23, a badminton hall in Sectors 42, 23 and Sector 10 Home Science College. Judo and chess can be played in Sector 42 and TT in Sector 23. Panjab University has a centrally air-conditioned gymnasium which caters to badminton, judo, and weightlifting, but it cannot hold other events for want of space.

There is some consolation for sportspersons. Some institutions like Shivalik Public School in Sector 41 have decided to build a hall in Chandigarh to hold various sports events. It has also taken the initiative to cover the floor of its SAS Nagar hall with ‘deco turf’ so that even lawn tennis can be played indoors.

Some other schools also make their halls available for small tournaments. Sanjay Public School in Sector 24 has a basement where certain games can be played. The YPS in SAS Nagar has a hall. St Stephens school has a permanent basement for carrom. The hall in DC Model School, Sector 7, Panchkula, will be ready in a few months.

But still the onus of building a proper indoor facility for various sports on the pattern of Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, lies with the different authorities. These days mobile synthetic courts allow different games to be played as and when required, provided there is a hall with sufficient space.

Physiotherapy centre at PU
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 26 — The physiotherapy centre recently set up at the Panjab University Sports Department is fully functional, according to a spokesman of the department.

The centre, set up in Gymnasium Hall of the university, will function from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm everyday.

He said that persons visiting the centre will be treated by qualified physiotherapy experts. The centre is open to students, faculty members as well as outsiders on nominal charges.