Top officials at the Baroda District Hockey Association (BDHA) have urged the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) to waive the taxes that have not been paid for many years now. Such is the situation at BDHA premises that hockey players are forced to bring drinking water from home,and the toilets have septic tanks instead of a drainage connection. This is despite the fact that the land where the BDHA has its ground and office belongs to the erstwhile royal family,and the patron of the association is also Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad. According to VMC officials,the total amount due is Rs 72,709 for the two water connections. The property belongs to Shri Rajwada Constructions and the user is shown as Baroda Regional Hockey Association. There are two one-inch and half-inch water connections. Since the taxes have not been paid for years together,as per the rules,we have snapped the connections. We have no problem in restoring them if the dues are paid or some decision is taken at the higher level to waive the amount, Ward Officer Bharat Thakkar told The Indian Express. As per the VMC records,BDHA will have to shell out Rs 61,345 as unpaid tax and Rs 11,364 for current tax. Another official at Ward Number 11 office said: The association members have been approaching us and urging us to do something so that they can provide water to the players. Even we feel bad that our National Game is suffering,but we have to abide by the rules. Earlier,the royal family used to pay the taxes. But at one point,they stopped paying them and the hockey association does not have enough funds to shell out Rs 70,000 at a time. The BDHA office-bearers are now planning to approach top VMC officials to help them restore the water and drainage connections. We are running the show on a tight budget. One can imagine the situation from the fact that many a times we spent from our pocket to organise a tournament or to send the players for some tournament. Under the circumstances,we are not in a position to shell out such a huge amount. We are now planning to meet the top VMC officials and urge them to waive the interest at least. We will somehow manage the original tax, said Nilesh Patel,BDHA president.
