Guwahati, Sept. 8: The Latasil Playground Development Committee today said it would move the district administration against the alleged damage caused to the outfield and the two cricket pitches during the organisation of Ganesh Puja by the Latasil Ganesh Mandir Committee last Monday.

"We had found on the barricaded wickets debris of crackers burnt on the night of Ganesh Puja. Besides, it is suspected on inspection that some drug was used to remove the grass from a section for yajna and bhog preparation. This is against the norms of the committee's constitution for which we have decided to submit a report to the Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner," Lakhi Nandan Saharia, member secretary of the committee, told The Telegraph today.

The playground development committee had incurred an expenditure of about Rs 56,000 in preparing the wickets, outfield and allied expenses, including growing new grass, for about a month from mid-July. The cricket season at the playground starts in October.

"If there is enough proof of damage after inspection, a showcause is likely to be served to the mandir committee," Saharia said.

The Latasil Ganesh Mandir Committee, which has been organising the yajna in the outfield since 2005, however denied causing any "intentional" damage to #either the outfield #or the wickets.

"We deny any such damage caused by our members. A group from Barpeta had burnt firecrackers on a dry section (the outfield was wet as it rained that day) close to the pitch and if some debris had fallen from above then it was accidental. As far as the other allegation is concerned, we deny that as well, as we had engaged an NGO who had used a grass mower," Jagannath Das, secretary of the mandir committee, said.

Incidentally, Das is also an executive member of the playground development committee.

"The mandir committee provides Rs 5,000 to the playground committee every year for maintenance. Budding cricketers practise and play tournaments here. So, the development of this playground is a priority for us," Das said.

The Latasil Playground Development Committee, formed in 1994 at the initiative of a few clubs and leading citizens of the locality, has twin objectives - preservation of the ground for sporting activities and provision of facilities for budding cricketers. According to its constitution, only Durga Puja, Bohag Bihu and yajna by the Latasil Ganesh Mandir Committee (on permission) are allowed with a clause that the playground cannot be damaged once the celebrations are over.

In April, the committee had also pledged tougher guidelines for Bihu and puja samitis to ensure that sporting activities in the historic playground are not hit because of "late handover" by the organisers.