The iconic Aam Bagan ground, that had recently hosted an exhibition of woollen garments, has turned into a mess with holes dotting its uneven surface and making it unsafe for both morning walkers and young people who play there.
Hemmed in by a mosque in its southern-end and state-run Rajasthan Vidya Mandir in its north, the ground sprawling across nine acres regularly hosts fairs and political rallies besides Jamshedpur Sarbojanin Durga Puja.
The organisers, who had erected tents for the nearly two-month-long exhibition of woollen garments and dug up holes for the installation of the structures, have left the ground without levelling it or filling up the holes.
“We go to the ground for morning walks regularly. But for the last two days, we are finding it difficult to walk there. Instead, we are going to Jubilee Park, nearly a kilometre away. It is unfortunate that the authorities don’t ensure that private parties who use the ground leave it in proper condition,” said Jyotirmoy Sinha, a tax consultant based in Sakchi.
The uneven ground is also inconveniencing youths who play there. “We used to play cricket here. After the exhibition got over, we thought of resuming our matches in the weekend. But playing here would be very risky. We may hurt ourselves while running,” said Shamshad Alam, a resident of Sakchi Mohammedan Line.
The ground is also littered with plastic and other garbage.
“The organisers have not even bothered to clean up the trash at one place,” said Rajesh Singh, student of a private coaching institute, who is preparing for bank exam.
Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Ltd (formerly Jusco), which maintains the ground, is blissfully unaware of the problem.
“We always ask the organisers to clean the ground and fill up the holes. They should be responsible enough to abide by the order,” spokesperson Sukanya Das said.
However, Dhalbhum sub-divisional officer Chandan Kumar, who gives permission for the use of public places such as playgrounds, assured of action. “We take an undertaking from the organisers that they will leave the ground only after cleaning up the waste and filling up the holes. I will follow it up with the organisers and get it cleaned and levelled,” Kumar said.
