Qaimoh, June 4: The inhabitants of this South Kashmir area here are up in arms against the state government for failing to establish a playground.
 According to the residents of Qaimoh Khudawani, Ruhpora, Redwani, Frisal and Kujar, their children are unable to participate in the extracurricular and recreational activities for want of playgrounds.
 “At a time when several sports activities are taking place throughout the Valley, with even government sponsoring many events, the youth here are unable to play the outdoor games due to the shortage of playgrounds,” the locals told Greater Kashmir.
 “Due to the absence of playground, our children play on roads after returning from schools, which is dangerous,” said the villagers, adding the parents are always apprehensive about the safety of their children as large number of vehicles ply on the road everyday.
 They said that due to the non-availability of the playground the boys play cricket in the bumpy lanes and by-lanes.
 “The youth are very much enthusiastic about various sports, but lack of playground in the area discourages them from participating in the outdoor games,” the locals said adding that despite repeated pleas with the concerned department and district administration, no playground was established so far in the area. 
 They said the youth intend to hold cricket and football tournaments, but due to the lack of playgrounds, they have dropped the idea. “For holding these tournaments, we need proper grounds wherein the youth can play comfortably and without any hassles,” the youth added.   
 “Many youth in the area have fallen to drugs due to the lack of recreational facilities,” said Waseem, a resident of Frisal.
 He said that there are many talented youth who could excel in sports whether it is cricket, football or badminton, but lack of playgrounds is depriving them of the opportunity.
 “The administration and Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council have failed to establish the play fields and develop sports infrastructure in the area,” said a youth.
 “The government and administration should immediately identify the land and establish some play grounds to nurture the talent of the youth to save their future,” said the villagers of Redwani.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 5 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST