The Mawphlang MLA, SK Sun, has written a letter to Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma urging him to avoid using the 2nd Ground at Polo for government functions.
Instead of the 2nd Ground at Polo, the Independent MLA has urged the state government to use the Garrison Ground in the city currently occupied by the defence authority.
Sun, who is also the president of the Shillong Sports Association (SSA), informed the CM that most of the football league matches for 2nd, 3rd and 4th Division, conducted by the SSA, were held at the 2nd Ground.
According to the MLA, the SSA lacks the infrastructural facility to conduct football league matches in respect of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Division.
The 1st Ground, which is under renovation, was earlier utilized for conducting league matches for the Super Division matches of the SSA’s Shillong Premier League.
“Despite the lack of alternative facility for conducting football tournaments, holding of governmental functions like the celebration of Meghalaya Day, Republic Day, Independence Day and other governmental festivals on this ground (2nd Ground), has further worsen the ground condition to such an extent, making the ground unsafe and dangerous for young football players who are pursuing football as their means of earning and livelihood,” Sun said.
The MLA suggested that such functions can either be considered to be held at the JN Stadium complex, where the facility is already available or request the defence authority to allow the state government to hold such functions at the Garrison Ground, Shillong as it was done in the recent past.