State police to maintain shooting ranges post N'Games
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Thiruvananthapuram: Keen to ensure proper utilisation of infrastructure created for the 35th National Games, the Organising Committee today decided to hand over the maintenance of shooting ranges, built for the showpiece event, to the Kerala Police.
Jacob Punnoose, the CEO of the National Games Secretariat, told a press meet here today that he held a discussion in this regard with the top brass in the state police and they offered full cooperation.
"We have got two world class shooting ranges as part of the National Games...One is the shooting range at Vattiyoorkkavu here and the other is the trap and skeet range in Thrissur. Not only players but coaches and shooting experts certified that those are of world class standards. We are very keen to maintain them post-Games also," he told reporters.
"I spoke to state DGP K S Balasubramaniam about it and he agreed to extend full support. As there is ammunition at these ranges, high level guarding and maintenance is essential. I think police can ensure it in a remarkable way," Punnoose, an ex-DGP, said.
Besides the shooting ranges, the squash stadium here would also be maintained by the police personnel, he said, adding that government has to make a special financial provision for the maintenance of the new stadia and other facilities set up as part of the Games.
Indian Olympic Association member and National Games Technical Conducting committee Chairman, K Murugan said the state government should work out some mechanism for the permanent maintenance and usage of the Games stadia and other facilities.
"The facilities will be very useful for players, especially at the grassroot level. The government should find some ways to use it in future also," he said, adding that players and coaches were satisfied with the facilities offered in the Games and no competition director had raised any complaint in this regard.
The official also said the IOA would look into the matter of absence of top players in some events and try to avoid such situations in future.
