Rourkela: Sundargarh district of Orissa, considered ‘Goldmine’ of hockey players, will have the rare distinction of having three synthetic hockey turfs in the country. The district is already having two turfs at the moment and by the end of June it will have added another one.

The third turf is being laid at the Sports Authority of India (SAI)’s Special Area Games Centre, Sundargarh, the district head quarters. The district has already acquired two synthetic turfs, one at the sports hostel, Panposh and the other at the Biju Patnaik Hockey stadium, Rourkela.

The Panposh hostel turf belongs to the state government whereas Biju Patanik Stadium turf is the property of Steel Authority of India Limited.

SAI has established its Special Area Games centre at Sundargarh in 2002 with only hockey (boys) discipline. Initially it began working at the Sundargarh stadium. A year later Orissa Government provided 19.17 acres of land to SAI to build its own sports complex at Bhavanipur.

After acquiring land the SAI began the process of getting a synthetic turf. In 2006 SAI sanctioned Rs.2 Crores to lay the synthetic turf at Sundargarh centre. Last year CPWD- Orissa started the base work for the turf to be laid, which is now completed. The poligrass to be laid at the maidan has reached at the Sundargarh on 25th May.

P.K.Sarangi, In-Charge of SAG Centre, Sundargarh is confident that the laying work would be completed by end of the third week of June. Abhay Kumar Patnaik, District Sports Officer, has already planned a hockey tournament in June itself.

SAG Centre, Sundargarh which started functioning in 2002 with only hockey (boys) discipline, later added girls hockey, archery (boys and girls) and athletics (boys and girls). At present the sanctioned strength of different discipline are as follows. Hockey – Boys : 28 and Girls 28. Archery – Boys-6 and Girls -7. Athletics- Boys-6 and Girls -6.

SAI has planned to develop the Sundargarh SAG centre into a full fledged sports complex with modern sports facilities. They have chalked out a plan of Rs.18 Crores to be invested at the centre.

The synthetic hockey turf will be of immense help for the inmates of SAG centre and state sports hostel. The advantage the inmates of both Panposh sports hostel and SAIL Hockey Academy over Sundargarh boys and girls will now be neutralized to large extent. This will further add competitive edge amidst Panposh, Rourkela and Sundargarh hockey trainees, which would augur well the State and the nation’s hockey.

We only wish the authorities concerned chalk out a practical plan to effectively utilize the new facility round the year.

Note: Satish Sharma is a freelance sports journalist, with a special affinity to hockey sport.