Jatarla village in Bazarhatnoor mandal of Adilabad district now boasts of a rubber Kabaddi court which is expected to promote the sport in the backward area. This is one of the two courts purchased at a cost of about Rs. 25 lakh from the Local Area Development funds of Adilabad MP G. Nagesh.
The other rubber court has been laid at the Indira Priyadarshini stadium in the district head quarter town. Adilabad thus becomes the second place in the State, after the Hyderabad training centre of Sport Authority of India (SAI) to have such a facility.
"It will help rural sportsmen take to Kabaddi easily. The rubber mats eliminate the fear of injuries," observed Adilabad District Sports Development Officer N. Sudhakar Rao.
The DSDO opines that the government can support the cause of the sport in rural areas by rigging rubber courts at least in mandal head quarters. "Each court with fencing and lighting does not cost more than Rs. 13 lakh but will go a long way in attracting rural sportsmen to Kabaddi," he said.
The rubber matting is being used in all national and state level tournaments which puts rural players at a disadvantage. The court at the District Sports Authority run stadium will however, put the players from the grass roots level in touch with the latest development, according to Mr. Rao.
