Total Neglect Of Sports, A Highlight Of TDP Governance

9 Dec, 2018 10:09 IST|Sakshi

Adivarampeta, Srikakulam district: Today my Padayatra moved through Etcherla and Srikakulam constituencies. I saw the pathetic state of Narayanapuram Canal near Kusalapuram. This canal which is meant to irrigate 3,000 acres of land, has gone completely dry. It is a glowing symbol of the indifference of the TDP government towards the farmers of the state.

Teja, a young athlete met me in the morning today. He had participated in 1000 and 1500m running competitions at the national level. He narrated to me at length, the sorry state of affairs under Chandrababu Naidu, with respect to sports. “Anna, there are two playgrounds in Srikakulam town and both of them have been rendered unfit for use by sportsmen by the TDP government. In the name of modernisation, they razed Kodi Ramamurthy stadium to the ground and have left it in that neglected state. In August, the ground belonging to the local Arts College was completely spoilt after being used for arrangements related to Chandrababu Naidu's visit. The young athlete asked me how any kind of practice was possible without a playground! “Should we give up sports and competitions all together?," he said. I could understand his anguish and frustration.

This district is renowned for the sportspersons it produced including legends like Kodi Ramamurthy and Olympian Karnam Malleswari. It is a district which has surmounted challenges of backwardness and poverty to produce such celebrated names in sports. Instead of unearthing hidden gems in sports in the area, a region rich with talent, by encouraging meritorious sportspersons, the government is neglecting sports completely. This fact pained me a lot.

Further down, close to the Polytechnic, I came across houses and shops by the road which had been pulled down. People in the area who were affected by this demolition came and met me. They told me that they were subjected to unprecedented problems and difficulties during the tenure of the TDP government. They had been living here for more than 30 years and had been paying property tax as well as electricity bills for the houses which they had built for themselves. Their houses and shops were demolished overnight and they had no other place to move to and live. They were in tears as they asked me where they should go now to live. Their plight moved me.

The authorities who were responsible for demolition of these houses and shops told the victims that parks would be built in the area. What kind of tragi-comedy is the Chandrababu Naidu government enacting here?

On the one hand, the ruling party leaders are grabbing land belonging to existing playgrounds and on the other, it says it would develop parks after pulling down shops and people’s houses. Does it really have the large-heartedness and good intent needed to develop parks? It is the government‘s duty to provide shelter to the homeless and instead, this TDP government is rendering these people homeless by destroying their houses. Victims of Hud Hud Cyclone met me. They told me that the government had built with Central government’s funds, 192 houses in Srikakulam town and 288 houses in rural parts, for their rehabilitation. Although the houses had been completed two years ago, they were yet to be allotted, they complained. They expressed their anguish stating that Telugu Desam party leaders denied the real beneficiaries their due and took one lakh rupees from ineligible people promising them houses. How does one describe these TDP leaders who do not spare a thought for even cyclone victims who have lost everything. In comparison, one must say that vultures are better.

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In the evening after crossing the Nagavali river I stepped into Srikakulam district, where Arasavalli emerged as a major shrine centuries ago. After addressing a mammoth public meeting, I reached the camp office.

I have a question for the chief minister—what happened to the Rs.150 crores given by the Union government for development of playgrounds in schools of Andhra Pradesh? Can you show at least one playground of a school developed by your government? Is it not true that beginning with the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Vijayawada to the ground in Srikakulam, playgrounds have been used for your publicity alone and have been in a complete state of disuse as far as sports is concerned? You had claimed that you would build a sports city over 1200 acres, but in the four and a half years of your tenure you have not developed a new playground. Is this not rank deception on your part?

Please check the schedule of Day 317 (Sunday) below.