CM Tarun Gogoi has reiterated that 33rd National Games will be held in January next year. But ground realities tell a different story.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has reiterated that the 33rd National Games would be held in January next year. Minister of State for Planning and Development, Himanta Biswa Sharma too made a similar claim recently. But the ground realities tell a vastly  different story.

The State Government is hell bent upon to host the games in January 2006, before Model Code of Conduct comes into force in the election bound State. Assam goes to polls by April next year. But a large cloud of uncertainty hangs over disciplines such as athletics, hockey, basketball and few others as infrastructure development works are still in progress with very little chance of being completed before the games. The State Government has not even opened the Letter of Credit (LOC) accounts necessary to purchase imported Astroturf, synthetic tracks, maple wood flooring materials, video matrix score board, etc. Still the State Government is claiming to complete all preparations by December. The time required to install synthetic surfaces like tracks and Astroturf, as quoted by the bidders is at least 21 weeks from the date of order. Experts, however, say that it takes not less than six months.

The files relating to purchase of synthetic surfaces have been gathering dust for more than two and a half years due to political intervention. Given that the government is yet to open LoC account, it is practically not possible to get the infrastructure ready by January. Sources said that controversy over purchase of equipments is related to favouritism shown by a political heavyweight to a particular company for award of the contract for installation of the Hockey Astroturf. As the National Games Secretariat (NGS) has already entered into an agreement with another company M/s Polytan for the same purpose, a breach might lead to legal tangle. Polytan has executed works for Doha Asian Games and other mega events. It also enjoys the firm endorsement of Indian Hockey Federation. Besides, the firm that enjoys the politicians favour has been blacklisted by Sports Authority of India (SAI) and several other establishments for inferior quality material.

NGS claims to have obtained a guarantee from Larsen & Toubro that the infrastructure for the 33rd National Games will be ready by October end. But even if L&T keeps its promise, the technical readiness stage will take quite some time to be achieved until the games equipments are bought and properly installed. L&T, which is also working on Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority’s games village project, has assured that it will be ready by December end with temporary electrification, water supply and sanitation facilities.

Even at this eleventh hour, the water sports venue tangle is yet to be resolved.  In a latest development, Morigaon district administration has urged the NGS to develop Saran Beel water body in the district to host water sports. Saran Beel venue was first mooted by Assam Kayaking Association. But a survey showed that the lake is not suitable to host rowing competition as it has a straight stretch of only 800 meters while the discipline needs at least 2.5 km of straight water body. There is a proposal from Morigaon district administration to hold the competition there. But the place is 55 kms away from Guwahati and communication and road condition are very poor.

NGS and Assam Boat Racing and Rowing Association are jointly trying to develop Deeper Beel as the venue so that all water sports disciplines are confined within Guwahati city in compliance with the MoU signed with Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The only hurdle in Deeper Beel is     the arrangement of roughly Rs. 50 lakhs to get the desiltation process speed up and the trench made ready for the games.

To make the matter worse, sneer and bad breath between Assam Olympic Association (AOA) and NGS still continues. The latest tussle between the two bodies is over a sum of Rs. one crore donated by ONGC to raise Assam contingent for National Games. The AOA is peeved over the fact that it was bypassed intentionally. “Nowhere in the country does government raise contingents for National Games or for any sporting events. It is always the apex sports body’s prerogative to prepare the contingent. The NGS high jacked the fund meant for AOA. NGS submitted a budget proposal of the same to ONGC on the pretext of building games contingent. It was just a ploy to deprive the AOA of its legitimate share of funds,” alleged AOA general secretary Mukut Medhi. NGS, on the other hand, stated that it was not aware of any donation by ONGC but admitted that it had applied for Rs. one crore from the company. “So far we have got Rs. five crore from Union Sports Ministry towards conduction of games. Although we have moved to all corporate and business houses in Assam, we are yet to get any contribution from any quarter,” a senior NGS official claimed. But ONGC CMD Subir Raha categorically stated in a press conference that he had already handed over the cheque to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. This incident has infuriated AOA so much that it has withdrawn its promise to secure at least 20 gold medals for Assam. It may be mentioned here that sportspersons of Assam are being groomed under AOA’s ‘Operation Gold’ project. “Since we are compelled to stop the coaching camps and our resources get high jacked, we cannot guarantee even a single gold. Now that NGS and Directorate of Sports have volunteered to shoulder the responsibility of contingent preparation, they should be able to tell how many gold or silver medals Assam is going to win,” asked an angry Medhi.

Amidst all such confusions and chaos, it is not difficult to understand why the State Government is desperate to hold the games in January. The party, especially Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi wants to add another feather to his cap before the next Assembly elections. Under attack from the minoritues and increasing strength of the opposition along with internal brickering have put the State Government in a tight spot. The government needs to do something spectacular to improve its image. Holding National Games in January may provide that much needed boost to the State Government.

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