PESHAWAR
The recently inaugurated Hockey Turf hit by heavy flood two-day earlier has been recovered with a lush green surface, Deputy Commissioner Swat Junaid Khan told APP here on Friday.
Junaid Khan said Commissioner Swat Shoukat, Regional Sports Officer Malakand Kashif Farhan, District Mayor Shahid Ali Khan, Official of the TMAs, Chairman DDAC Swat Fazali Hakeem Khan, officials of the District Hockey Association Swat and players were also present.
He said due to heavy rain, the flood is increasing and it badly damaged the areas including the site of the turf but with quick response of the team of TMAs, hockey players and officials of the District Administration, 2 to 3 feets of mud has been removed along with flood water from the turfs. He said after removing the mud and filth the turf surface has washed out.
Junaid Khan said: “The hockey ground has been constructed in the Makan Bagh area of Mingora, Swat district, which is in a position to hold matches of both national and international levels and efforts have already been taken to ensure safety to the site of the turf in Makan Bagh.”
The construction of the hockey ground with synthetic turf facility is part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s efforts to promote hockey by expanding facilities in the province, he said, adding, “The Hockey Ground would provide facilities for national and international competitions in Swat.” Junaid Khan said: “We have taken more measures to ensure safety to our people including those facilities developed for the youth and for promotion of sports in Swat.”
Regional Sports Officer Kashif Farhan when contacted, he appreciated the officials of the District Administration, TMAs and the hockey players who worked day and night for the restoration of the turf and making sure it is playable again.
Kashif Farhan said one can not compare Swat location with the rest of the plain areas in the province and country. “The only plain area inside the City was selected for laying of artificial turf because there is no place whatsoever in Swat where there are no nulls or hilly areas. Swat is a valley and it is famous for various streams, waterfalls, nulls, and hilly areas.
RSO Malakand Division Kashif Farhan said: “We can not lay such facilities in a village rather provide such facilities in the cities to ensure facilities to maximum number of youth.” He also shared the flooded photos of the turf and photos of the lush green surface after completing the cleaning process in just two-days.
Deputy Commissioner Swat Junaid Khan also visited the site of the newly laid hockey turf, laid down recently at a total cost of Rs. 99.540 million with a double floor pavilion for spectators. He said the debris and flood water dumped on the turf surface have immediately been removed and now it is in a playable position.
He said the turf needed more water and for watering, one has to have electricity, so it is inside the cities because it is not maintained in a village site. “We can hold national or international level events and that was the reason behind laying the hockey turf at the most suitable place Makan Bagh, the area which is already famous for various sporting facilities,” Kashif Farhan said.
