Meriema, Oct. 5: There may not be much in a name but, apparently, there is much in an address.

Irate over the Indira Gandhi sports stadium shown as being located in Kohima, Meriema villagers have accused the state government of ?manipulation? and questioned its move.

Part of the land on which the stadium is built lies in Kohima district. The district had given land for the stadium about two decades ago.

The then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, had laid the foundation stone.

?At that time and later in newspapers and national records, it was always mentioned as Indira Gandhi Stadium, Meriema. Why have they changed it to Kohima?? questioned former chairman of the village council, Vitsieo Keditsu.

Keditsu admitted that some land on which the stadium is being constructed belongs to Kohima village. ?But the address was always mentioned as Meriema and we have to reclaim this,? said Keditsu.

The stadium whose estimated cost has escalated to more than Rs 20 crore, was finalised in 1987.

The slow pace of work by government-selected contractors has extended construction to this day.

The second phase that will further increase the cost of construction is yet to begin.

It will be financed under a package offered by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during his visit to Kohima in October 2003.

However, the stadium has given rise to controversy even before events are organised.

Another reason for which Meriema villagers are discontented with the state government is for transferring some part of the land to the social welfare department.

Villagers said the land should be used for the purpose for which it had been granted. Since the land had been given to the govern- ment for sports, it should be used only for sports.

Recently, chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who also handles the sports portfolio, laid the foundation for a tribal girls hostel within the larger stadium complex.

On the other hand, sources said that the land on which the foundation has been laid was meant for an archery practice area.

However a source in the social welfare department official said ?the problem between the two departments has been resolved?.

Keditsu said that being a sports stadium complex, only activities connected with sports should be carried out in the stadium. ?This latest change is a very bad policy of the government,? he said.

He said that the government had promised a ground each for hockey and cricket as well as a swimming pool, but nothing has been constructed so far.

Instead, the land is being utilised for purposes other than sports.

Village council chairman, Khriehe Keditsu cited these reasons for the displeasure among villagers.

?We are going to register our protest to the government about its policy of changing the address,? he said.

The chairman said that the main reason for the deteriorating performance of the village youths in sports was lack of a practice area.