JKSC, DYSS lock horns over water sports facilities

Two vital departments of the state are involved in a tussle over two sports facilities, Water Sports Centre Nehru Park and Gindun Multi Sports facility. The departments which include Sports Council, Youth Services want the Gindum and the Nehru park Sports Centre under their control.

The Commissioner Secretary to Government, Technical Education and YSS department in November, issued an order in November last year directing the facilities to be handed over to the DYSS. However, the facilities continue to be controlled by the Sports Council.

While the sports council officials are handling the affairs of both the facilities, the official’s deputed by DYSS have to discharge their duties without any control over the facilities and mostly outside the vicinity.

DYSS which is in forefront for promotion of sports in the State has been operating over the years without having any worthwhile sports facility at its disposal. For conducting the activities, department used to take services from Sports Council or any Government, Private institute.

“In supersession of all previous orders on the subject and in the interest of administration, sanction is hereby accorded to the handing over of the inherited water sports center, Nehru park and model playing field (Gindun) Rajbagh, Srinagar to the Department of Youth Services and Sports by the J&K State Sports Council for conducting of sporting activities in the said premises for promotion of sports spirit in the State,” order issued by Commissioner Secretary to Government, Technical Education and YSS department, Hirdesh Kumar read.

Soon after getting the orders of handover, DYSS deputed its officials for both the facilities. However, more than two months have passed but sports council is yet to abide by the orders. Instead of handing the charge, sports council wrote a letter in response citing their reasons of not handing over of the charge. In the letter sports council argued that council is in need of the facility more than that of DYSS which is primarily responsible for only school level events. They requested the Higher Peculation department to reconsider the decision and keep the facilities under their control. However, the response from the Higher Education and Technical Department was same and they asked council to handover the charge.

In continuation with the continuous correspondence, DYSS recently asked its Joint Directorate office in Kashmir to take over the charge of both facilities.

“ I am directed to request you in pursuant to the instructions of Government to take over the complete possession of the assets of water sports centre Nehru park and Gindun Multi sports facility, Rajbagh hence forth and compliance the report,” DYSS, Deputy director Central writes to joint director DYSS, Kashmir on a letter dated January 14.

When contacted Joint Director Kashmir, DYSS, Bashir Ahmad said, “Directorate office has asked my office to take over the possession of the both facilities. However, whenever we try to take over the charge, sports council officials who are posted their say that they have got no order of handover takeover from their own office. I myself went there and they gave same reply to me as well. They have got no orders from their own department and cant handover possession to us”.

“We made a report and sent that to directorate. They made correspondence with Commissioners Secretaries office in secretariat. The directions where again given in this regard to council who tried to plead their case. However, despite orders again from the commissioner secretary’s office Council is yet to handover the fairs of both facilities.

All J&K DYSS Employees Welfare Association has expressed its concern over the refusal of the facilities by Council to DYSS.

All J&K DYSS Employees Welfare Association, Zahoor Ahmad termed the situation as unfortunate and said that issue should be resolved as soon as possible.

“It was great a move from the Government to handover the facilities to DYSS. It was long pending demand of our department as we used to have no facility of our own. However, there is some problem in the handover, takeover of the facilities and we want it to get resolved soon”.