The government degree college in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district is without a playground since its foundation was laid in the year 2005 even as students suffer for want of sports activities in the college. According to wire service —Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the foundation of GDC Bandipora was laid in the year 2005 and is located on a hilltop in Putushai village on Bandipora- Sopore road. “The college is without a playground since when its foundation was laid in 2005. This is the state of affairs in our district. Almost 14 years have passed and the college is still without a playground, speaking volumes about the callous attitude of the concerned authorities,” said Sahil Farooq, a student of 4th semester. He said that they don’t have proper space in the college where they can take part in sports activities and develop skills and whenever inter-college games are held they lag behind for want of sports infrastructure in the college.The students said that they have many times brought the issue into the notice of concerned authorities but so far nothing has been done to promote and develop sports infrastructure in the college.
They told KNO that this is the only college in Kashmir division which doesn’t have a playground where students can take part in sports activities and inculcate in themselves sportsmanship.“When we have don’t have a playground to take part in sports activities how do we learn to inculcate in ourselves the true sportsmanship. All we do is room around in the college when we have vacant classes. Had there been a playground in the college we would remain busy in sports activities. We would have been able to do extra co-curricular activities but unfortunately, we don’t have sports infrastructure here,” Mehran, another student said.The students appealed the higher authorities to personally look into the matter and ask the concerned authorities to explore possibilities for constructing a playground in the college premises.A senior official of the district told KNO that they have submitted a detailed project report last week for constructing a stadium in the premises of degree college Bandipora at a cost of 406.52 lakhs, however, it is awaiting the administrative approval.He said that the project has been prepared, keeping in view the fact that provision of this stadium will go a long way in engaging the college students and channelizing their energies toward constructive activities. (KNO)