Delay in floating of global tenders for equipment sportsmen may not get the actual feel of equipment
Kerala Sports Council (KSC) has not supplied new equipment or gear for hundreds of ace sportspersons who are training in games camps across the State
Thiruvananthapuram: While the State Government is spending hundreds of crores on the National Games, the Kerala Sports Council (KSC) has not supplied new equipment or gear for hundreds of ace sportspersons who are training in games camps across the State. The many participants who are going to represent the State in fencing, shooting, archery, canoeing and kayaking are banking on either their cheap personal belongings or the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) equipment for training.
Since the Sports Council has delayed floating of global tenders for equipment, in all likelihood, some sportsmen may not get the actual feel of equipment that are of National Games standard. “It was a year ago that we asked them to provide us with 24 rifles and pistols that would cost between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 4 lakh. Our sportspersons at Palakkad Academy still use their inferior quality weapons with just a few days left for the games to start. When the real games begin, and when they get to handle sophisticated rifles they may not be able to produce the desired results. The mind and the weapon have to be in coordination when it comes to shooting”, said Kerala State Rifle Association Secretary Joe Mangaly.
The issue is the same in the case of archers who train with bows and arrows as cheap as Rs 40,000 instead of the equipment worth Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakh.Sources in the Sports Council say that due to the delays, the guns will now be 22 per cent expensive as they will have to be procured through the National Rifle Association. “After the profit and additional taxes, the cost of acquiring guns from the National Association will be a costly affair. If we had floated a global tender on time we could have got it for cheap,” the source said.
The fencing team practising at Thalasserry has neither costumes and blades nor masks.“Some students made costumes and guards on their own. The blades which cost Rs 4,000 often break. There are no replacements as they are imported ones. Some of them have taken loans to participate in the camp,” said Kerala Fencing Association secretary M.S.Pavanan.Presently, fencers are banking on SAI’s electronic score boards to get a feel of the actual games.
The canoeing and kayakking teams practising in Alappuzha were told in advance to adjust with whatever boats they had. According to Sports Council secretary Binu Varghese, various associations had given unjustifiable estimates and hence the procurement was delayed.
“We were asked to provide 1,500 footballs. Some of the estimates went up to Rs 15 cr, whereas, as per our estimate it was just Rs 35 lakh. We can’t spend that much money,” said Varghese who guaranteed that equipment would be provided in a month’s time.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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