Selja writes to Centre over neglect of Sirsa indoor stadium

Sirsa MP Kumari Selja has written a letter to Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya demanding proper maintenance of the Chaudhary Dalbir Singh Indoor Stadium in Sirsa.

Through her letter, she informed the minister about the deteriorating condition of the indoor stadium. The construction of the stadium began on June 5, 1993, with the joint efforts of the Central Government, the Haryana Government and the people of Sirsa. It was inaugurated in 1996 and is the largest indoor stadium in Haryana.

Several national-level competitions have been hosted here. The stadium was once used for indoor sports, such as wrestling, gymnastics, table tennis, badminton and boxing. However, due to improper maintenance over the past few years, the stadium is no longer suitable for practice or hosting competitions, the letter alleged.

Selja urged the Central Minister to direct the Sports Department officials to ensure proper upkeep of the stadium so that players can access adequate facilities for indoor sports.

It is worth noting that sports equipment in the Chaudhary Dalbir Singh Indoor Stadium is gathering dust. These are neither sent to village-level stadiums nor stored properly.  Once a hub of players, the number of athletes visiting the stadium is dwindling. The Sports Department appears to have shown little interest in maintaining the stadium.

Even cleanliness in the stadium has been severely neglected. The situation has worsened to the extent that the sports grounds have been abandoned. Handball and basketball courts are barely functional. Since the stadium is located near a mandi (market), dust constantly causes significant inconvenience to players, the letter alleged.