Shillong, Jan 21: Mawphlang legislator S K Sun has asked the state government to avoid holding government functions at the 2nd Football Ground, Polo in the interest of football players of the state.

In a letter to the chief minister Conrad K Sangma, Sun, who is the new president of the Shillong Sports Association (SSA), informed that the 1st Ground is being utilized for conducting league matches of the SSA’s Shillong Premiere League (SPL) and pointed out lack of infrastructural facility to conduct league matches in respect of 1st Division, 2nd Division, 3rd Division and 4th Division.

He said presently, most of the league matches for 2nd Division, 3rd Division and 4th Division were conducted at the 2nd Ground.

“Despite the lack of alternative facility for conducting football tournaments, holding of governmental functions for celebration of Meghalaya Day, Republic Day, Independence Day and other governmental festivals on this ground, has further worsen the ground condition to such an extent, making the ground unsafe and dangerous to the young football players who are pursuing football as their means of earning and livelihood,” Sun said.

He also informed the chief minister that with a view to provide infrastructural development to the 2nd Ground to create a facility worthy of conducting football matches with improved ground surface condition, the council member of SSA had met the members of Shillong Recreation Ground Trust (SRGT) on January 13, requesting the Trust to allocate the 2nd Ground area to the SSA for infrastructural Development.

“…pending active consideration by the SRGT on the official request made by the SSA, I am to request the government under your leadership to consider avoiding using 2nd Ground for holding governmental functions… as holding such functions has not only further worsen the ground condition to such an extent making the ground unsafe and dangerous to the young football players who are pursuing football as their means of earning and livelihood but has also, vitiating the entire sports atmosphere,” the MLA said.

Sun suggested that such functions, can either be considered holding at the stadium complex where facility is already available or the defence authority may be requested to allow the state government to hold such functions at the Garrison Ground, Shillong as done in the recent past.