Team Baba’s mess

After negotiations,on Tuesday,Ramdev ordered the supporters to leave the stadium and continue the protest in Haridwar.

“You should have seen the grounds yesterday. The grass looked amazing. We have to work fast to get it ready,” Ground Supervisor Kamar Upal said.

Officials said they have just one day to restore and prepare the ground for the tournament as the stadium will be sealed till 2 pm on August 15,owing to Independence Day celebrations.

The Durand Cup,which has been played at the stadium since 1940,is scheduled to start on Thursday.The knockout stages of the 125th edition of the tournament will begin with J&K Bank taking on Army Green at 2 pm,followed by Delhi United versus Indian Navy at 4 pm. The tournament ends September 1.

Till Tuesday evening,MCD workers,assisted by members of Yuva Bharat,were busy sweeping the ground clean as the organisers noted: “Sab ganda kar diya in logon ne (They left a mess here).”

The washrooms at the stadium could not bear the overnight burden of almost 3,000 people camping at the facility. So,the supporters took to relieving themselves in the corners. They bathed next to the stage.

“We ate and bathed here,since we had no place else to go. We are going back to Bihar today and so we decided to freshen up before leaving” Rajneesh Lal Mishra,a supporter,said.

Speaking to Newsline,Vice-President of DSA Narender Kumar Bhatia said: “We weren’t informed of this decision (converting Ambedkar Stadium into temporary jail). Considering we have a tournament scheduled for the day after,alternative arrangements could have been made for the supporters.”

He suggested the adjacent DTC grounds could have been used.

“Just as we have handled such situations in the past,this time too,we should be able to ready the grounds before the event,” Bhatia said.

The North Municipal Corporation,which manages the stadium,said it is confident of getting the stadium up to mark before the tournament. “We will clean up the garbage by the end of the day,” Surinder Singh,Superintendent (Sanitation),said.

Durand Cup Chief Coordinator V N Singh said: “We will cover up the holes with mud so the players aren’t injured,but it will not be repaired in one day. We were supposed to finish marking the ground today. Now we will have to do that tomorrow.”

He said Wellington and Thyagaraj stadiums had been identified as alternative venues for the tournament.