Corporators pad up for sports kits

HYDERABAD: The Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) maintains 500 playgrounds in the twin cities.
The corporation has 35 fulltime and 28 part-time coaches on its pay rolls. But for city corporators, the MCH is an unsporting body.
Reason: Another tussle over a trivial issue. At the core of the latest tussle between the MCH officials and corporators is the latter’s demand that each corporator be given five cricket kits, which they would distribute in their wards as per their choice.
The MCH, on its part, says it already spends Rs 40 lakh a year to provide infrastructure, including inputs like kits, for various sports. The corporation says purchasing 500 cricket kits would cost it an additional Rs 25 lakh, something it is unwilling to do.
Since their election, the corporators have been asking for kits which they plan to give to youth who ensured their victory. The issue has now assumed significance with many corporators submitting representations in this regard to the Standing Committee chairman.
Despite repeated requests from the corporators that the issue be listed in the agenda of the Standing Committee, the MCH officials have ignored it. However, it is learnt that the members of the Standing Committee would now take up the issue during the next committee meeting on Tuesday.
Domalguda corporator T Ravinder told The Times of India that his request for the kits were turned down. “There are many youth in my division who wish to play cricket at the NTR Grounds. I am under enormous pressure to provide them the kits,� he said.
Pathergatti corporator Ahmed Bin Abdullah said the MCH officials were purchasing sports material every year, but were clueless over the fate of the material purchased the previous year. The corporators would seek comprehensive information on this count, he added.
A senior MCH officer said it was wrong on the part of corporators to make such demands. “We cannot buy whatever they want and distribute it to them. The sporting kits are available at grounds. Youth practice with the kits and return the same after playing,� he said.