Jan. 20: The state government is yet to allot the Barsapara SOS ground on the city outskirts to the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) though the latter has almost finished its preparations for laying the foundation of a cricket stadium at the site.

The government has still not taken possession of the land from the SOS village.

According to a status report on the ground submitted by the Kamrup district sports officer in collaboration with the directorate of sports as solicited by the chief minister’s office, there is no record of allotment of the ground to the ACA in the circle office.

“The ground was allotted to the SOS village on December 29, 1999, and neither repossession of the plot nor allotment to either the ACA or any individual is recorded in the circle office,” a directorate of sports source said, quoting the report.

The report states that the state government is not in a position to allot the ground to anyone as the ground was still in possession of the SOS village. The latter has demanded Rs 50 lakh, which it has spent on developing the ground and construction of a fitness centre on the 59 bigha, three katha and two lecha ground for handing over the ground to the state government.

ACA president Gautam Roy, who is also the social welfare minister, has categorically stated that the state government does not owe the SOS village any compensation, as the latter has failed to implement the agreement.

According to the agreement with the SOS, the government was supposed to repossess the ground without any prior formalities if the SOS failed to utilise the ground within three years. However, there is no mention about completion of a particular project, which leaves enough room for the SOS to stake claim over the ground on the basis of the earth-filling for a football turf and construction of a fitness gym and a boundary wall on one side.

The FIFA was supposed to have funded the SOS village for the construction of a football academy at the ground, which was later abandoned after it was discovered that developing the ground would be futile because of the largescale dumping of plastic garbage at the site. Following the FIFA pullout, illegal settlers encroached on three sides by constructing temporary structures.

The report states that not a single settler on the 59-bigha plot, of which a 115 metre by 165 metre portion is currently vacant, has been allotted a plot by the revenue department and no one was paying any kind of tax to the state government.

The ACA has claimed that it has already acquired possession of a 20-bigha vacant plot at the ground and another 10-bigha would be required for the proposed stadium. ACA secretary Bikash Baruah had recently claimed that the cricket association was already in possession of documents related to the 20 bighas. However, according to the status report, the books at the circle office did not have any record of the stated allotment.

The ACA is currently preparing a detailed project report on the proposed stadium with the help of Calcutta-based construction firms.

Apart from the ACA, the Guwahati Sports Association (GSA) has also moved the government for allotment of a plot at the Barsapara ground for construction of a football stadium, which will also have an athletics track. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi is stated to have committed a plot to the GSA.