Invite some 1,300 budding sports champs for a state meet in a steel city. Leave them to defecate in the open in bushes around the stadium and go begging for drinking water.
This sums up the Jharkhand state school athletics meet 2015 that started at Bokaro steel city's Mohan Kumar Mangalam Stadium, Sector IV, on Tuesday. Over 1,300 sportspersons, including 525 girls, are taking part in the three-day event where Day One showcased the most inhuman face of mismanagement and possibly corruption.
State sports minister Amar Kumar Bauri, by his own admission to The Telegraph on Tuesday, sanctioned Rs 18.60 lakh for this meet in October. But, it seemed apparent on Tuesday that sports meet organisers at the district could not set up makeshift toilets and drinking water tankers for participants even two months down the line.
Young sportspersons, who came from all over Jharkhand and were at the stadium between 8am and 4pm, had to face problems unimaginable at any sporting event, leave alone a prestigious state meet - one toilet with broken windowpanes for girls, none for boys, no provision for drinking water and no food.
Hordes of girls were found crowding the lone open toilet, the other one on the stadium locked for exclusive use of BSL jawans. If one went inside, at least five or six friends kept vigil outside to ward off Peeping Toms and gropers. Many others, in groups for safety, went outside the stadium to hunt for bushes.
When participants should have been readying to better their best in sporting disciplines in U-14, U-17 and U-19 categories, they were bothered about finding a safe bush to pee.
Schoolgirls and their team managers from districts thronged towards The Telegraph team to complain about the dismal toilet scenario.
Nationally known archer Sulekha Kumari, who is the Giridih team manager, said: "It is very difficult to manage if there are no toilets. What do I tell the girls?" Participants such as Sakina Bano of Sahebganj, Vibha Kumari of Bokaro and Puja Kumari of Hazaribagh in unison said despite repeated requests to organisers, no one stepped forward to help.
A sports official admitted that for 500-odd girls, at least 20 makeshift toilets were needed. Asked about the 800-odd boys, he was silent. Asked if the state meet, by not constructing makeshift toilets on the stadium for 1,300 participants, was encouraging open defecation in the city at a time India was going on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan overdrive, he slunk away.
A visiting schoolteacher who did not want to be named explained visitors were all put up at local schools, not all near the stadium. "But, there are no vehicles for our commute. At the stadium, there is no water, food or toilet."
It was learnt that Rs 18.60 lakh sanctioned for the state meet was available with deputy development commissioner (DDC) Arvind Kumar and sports officer P.B.N. Singh, the main organisers of this fiasco.
DDC Arvind Kumar, when contacted, admitted that the absence of toilets and water caused big problems at the stadium. "I am calling my officials for immediate remedies," he told The Telegraph hastily.
Bokaro DC Manoj Kumar, who inaugurated this meet, ageed he got several complaints about the lack of toilets and water. "I ordered DDC Kumar and sports officer Singh who are in charge of this meet to make arrangements immediately," he said
But, it was sports minister Bauri who was most shocked. When this reporter called up the minister, he said: "I am surprised. Despite a big amount of money already given to district officials concerned, how come even basic needs of the athletics are not being met? I am rushing my secretary with Rs 1 lakh for arrangements at the sports venue right now. An inquiry will be certainly made to know who is responsible for this mess."
Not just mess, Mr Sports Minister, a real stinker.
What should be the penalty meted out to organisers? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com