Nagpur, Oct 19
With the sports activities allowed in the Maharashtra cities including Pune, Aurangabad, Vasai-Virar, Satara, the city sports organisers have mounted the pressure on Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to open the indoor halls and also allow outdoor activities.
To top all this the secretary of Nagpur District Badminton Association (NDBA) Mangesh Kashikar has threatened the NMC to launch an agitation if their demands are not fulfilled.
Following the coronavirus scare, the sporting activities are on standstill for last six months. However when the government opened the other sectors thru ''Unlock'' process gradually, the sports fraternity also requested the municipal authorities to unlock the sports activities too. In this regard the office bearers of various sports organisers presented memorandum to the corporation, district collector and to even Maharashtra sports minister Sunil Kedar. But till date no decision has been take and that has irked the sports organisers.
After requesting, chief minister and corpiration, now the Maharashtra Badminton Association (MBA) has urged the Badminton Association of India (BAI) president Himanta Biswa Sarma for resumption of badminton activities in the State. In this regard the MBA president Arun Lakhani and tournament secretary Mangesh Kashikar have handed over the letter to BAI chief Sarma during their meeting in Nagpur on Sunday. Sarma, who is a senior minister in Assam Government, has promised to speak to Aaditya Thackeray, state minister and son of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, soon and ensure badminton practice restart in all the districts of Maharashtra in a few days time.
The treasurer of Nagpur District Badminton Association (NDBA) and coach Anant Apte slammed the corporation authorities for not giving permission to resume the sporting activities.
He said,“It seems the administration is sleeping or they are overlooking the issue. It is really a shame that the city which has produced top national badminton players have to beg for opening of indoor stadium”, he said. NDBA secretary Mangesh Kashikar said, “I will request the NMC authorities to reopen the indoor hall and resume the sporting activities in the city and if they fail to do it then I and other coaches will launch an agitation to fulfill our demand”, he said.