Water at Tau Devi Lal stadium sparks dengue fears

GURUGRAM: Water has collected in a portion of the Tau Devi Lal stadium but authorities are turning a blind eye to it. As a result, players, who regularly practise at the stadium, are being exposed to the threat of diseases.
With the arrival of the monsoon, dengue and malaria cases are on the rise in the city as waterlogged areas turn into breeding grounds for mosquitoes.However, authorities have failed to flush out the water from the stadium, which is hardly 700 metres away from the mini secretariat. Meanwhile, the district sports department is planning an international cricket stadium at Tau Devi Lal.
The archery ground lies next to the waterlogged area in the stadium. Bhagwat Singh, district archery coach, said, “Now, the players have to be careful so that their arrows don’t land in the water. Archery equipment is expensive and players can’t afford to damage it.”
Shweta Khattana, a national level archery player, said, “Mosquitoes can be seen breeding in the waterlogged areas. We practise early in the morning. If a dengue mosquito bites us, will the administration take responsibility?”
The players and the coach have written to GMDA, which manages the stadium. “We have written to the stadium manager to flush out the water. Officials have told us that the water is from a sewer which is overflowing,” said Singh.
Players also questioned why MCG was not issuing challans to the stadium authorities. Vikram, a state level player, said, “Why is the corporation not penalising them for theirindifference?”
When contacted, GMDA’s Sukhbir Singh, who is the stadium manager, said, “We will solve the waterlogging problem soon and ensure that the stagnant water is flushed out.”