Orion Club playground ill-maintained

Orion Sports Club playground located at the entrance of 1st Block Jayanagar bears signs of neglect with garbage dumped everywhere and because of this the basketball enthusiasts find it difficult to practise.
Orion Sports Club playground is mostly used by 1st Block residents and students of various schools and colleges. It is located diagonally opposite Lalbagh South gate entrance. Though the premise is fenced and kept under the strict eyes of the residents to prevent any kind of illegal activities, the adjacent road dwellers and miscreants (slum in Siddhapura) use this vacant space to dump garbage. Fifty-two-year-old Orion Sports Club, which has produced many international players, is today compromising a lot in terms of facility for basket ball players. The basketball court within the premises is not taken care of. Tree branches from the adjacent building pose danger to players who gather here for regular training every evening.
SV Jayaram, retired basketball player and former Vice President of Karnataka State Basketball Association, is agonized by the neglect and said: "With help from Jayanagar Ward (No.153) Corporator Gangambika Mallikarjun, the club premises are maintained."
The premises come as a contradiction to the quote 'Karnataka is the cradle and nursery of basket ball' by Padhmanabhan in Jump Ball Sports Journal. With no water facility and maintenance, players feel they are not given the basic infrastructure they aspire for. Chintan, basketball player said: "I come here to learn basket ball but the ground is so dirty. We sometimes clean it ourselves and play. I come here for quality coaching. The government should help us and keep the ground clean like other sports premises."
It can be recollected that, though Orion Sports Club Playground (Ward 144) is ascertained by BBMP for sports and the opposite corner place as park (Ward 153), there was a move to convert the playground into a choultry. This move was strongly opposed by sports enthusiasts and residents. Thus, with intervention from former MLA Ramalinga Reddy, the place is still accessible for sport buffs.
Jayaram said: "It was Lakshman Rao who designed Jayanagar and left this vacant space for sports. If it was not for him and the sustained efforts of MLA Ramalinga Reddy, the place would have been utilized for a different cause. Even now, though the club does not belong to Corporator Gangambika, workers are sent to keep the premises clean."
When contacted, Corporator Uday Shankar (Ward 144) said: "We have taken up the upgradation of the club. We get it cleaned once a month and even the club trust is taking care of it. The basketball premises will be further developed to conduct State level competitions once the tender is called. The new plan and sketch is ready. As soon as the tender is finalized, work will commence immediately."

--CITYPLUS NEWSDESK