ASSURING that not a single sportsperson would suffer, District Sports Officer Pallavi Dhatrak said that her office would “definitely find some way” to organise sports events for schools in city limits in the coming academic session. On Tuesday, DSO Dhatrak issued a press release stating that sports meet for schools situated outside city limits will be organised by the District Sports Office Nagpur and the NMC-level sports meet will have to be conducted by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Piyush Ambulkar, NMC Sports Officer, showed his department’s inability to conduct the events on their own citing lack of manpower. He had also claimed that due to this sportspersons would suffer and added that it (the sports events for schools in city limit) should be conducted by the DSO. Dhatrak said according to the Resolution passed by School Education and Sports Department, Government of Maharashtra in 2014, all the schools’ sports events within the city limits have to be conducted by the NMC.

 

“In Mumbai and Thane, schools sports events are conducted by the municipal corporations. This is the rule put up by the State Government and it is there since last nine years. I have not made these rules after assuming the office in Nagpur,” Dhatrak, who assumed the charge of DSO in April, told ‘The Hitavada’. On Ambulkar’s statement that students would suffer, Dhatrak said that the NMC sports officer is unnecessary creating confusion among schools, students and parents. “I can assure that not a single sportsperson or school would suffer. I would be meeting District Collector next week and we will find a way out. We will see that the competitions take place,” stated Dhatrak. On lack of manpower in NMC, the District Sports Officer said that Government GR is there since 2014.

 

“I can’t understand why the NMC is not conducting the events since these many years. In every other division like in Mumbai, Thane, Upnagar Raigad, Pune, Solapur, Nagar, Latur at all these cities, the municipal corporations conduct the events. Then why not at Nagpur Division,” she asked. “I myself being a sportsperson would never let the players suffer. We will definitely find a way out and make it sure that the inter-school events at NMC level take place,” concluded Dhatrak who is a former national level hockey player.