For the fourth time in a row, the State Police Department is gearing up to organise Police Commemoration Day at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium on October 21. This is despite the inconvenience caused to sports persons who practise on the premises due to various government and private events that have been held since bifurcation of the State in 2014.
The latest was presentation of Prathiba Puraskar by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on October 15. On October 2, the government organised a programme on Swachh AP and inauguration of 1 lakh houses by the CM. On October 3, it was the foundation stone-laying programme for National Highways and waterways, attended by the Vice-President and the CM. While all these programmes were held in the main ground, several others, including Dandiya and Swadeshi Suraksha Udyamam, have been organised in the football ground of the stadium during the past few weeks.
Now, the ground in which sportspersons of about 10 disciplines practise daily, is again being prepared to host the police commemoration parade. A concrete stage with the commemoration plaque in memory of martyred policemen is being set up.
Crucial meeting
When the event was first organised soon after bifurcation, lack of proper facilities was cited as the reason. The situation remains the same even after three years.
Not very long ago, the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh decided to hold a crucial meeting with all the stakeholders and ensure that the grounds are only used for sportspersons.
“After the meeting, a decision on the steps to avoid misuse of the sports infrastructure will be taken,”an official had said.
