PSPCL diktat demoralizing its sports persons’
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in/ Patiala
“If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.” -said nine-time Olympic champion Mark Spitz, who was an amazing swimmer.
But this not applicable in Punjab state power corporation limited (PSPCL), as the department has barred the sportsperson to prepare, to do regular practice for sports .
In a memo issued by Arjuna awardee Madhuri Saxsena, senior sports officer of Punjab state Power Corporation limited stated that “due to covid 19, PSPCL is not organizing any sports tournament. So the management of PSPCL has desired to take work from all the clerical staff, technical staff, players, coaches from 9 am to 5 pm”, means they were stopped to do practice.
As per the rules, all the players, who were recruited under sports category, were to do practice daily from 3 pm to 5 pm. They were entitled for 2 hrs off for sports practice.
As per a retired PSPCL official “the present PSPCL management has already declared its sports section as ‘dying cadre’ and this act of the management is another nail in its coffin. The government is opening the stadium for practice and the powercom is stopping its player, coaches to do practice, giving excuses of Covid 19 ”
Another sports person, who retired from the Powercom said” what is the use of opening sports university in Patiala, sports stadiums in Punjab, when the government departments is going to stop recruiting the outstanding sports person. No parents will send their wards in the ground.’
Incidentally, the Sports Cell of PSPCL, established in 1974, is one of the biggest sports departments in the state along with Punjab police, who recruit outstanding sports person. The decision left sportspersons employed by PSPCL with little or no hope of promotion or career advancement, as they will not play and if play, will play without proper prepration.
It all started in 58th PSPCL Board meeting on August, 2017, when the management declared the “vanishing posts of the Health and Sports Departments shall not be filled and if possible the present staff be shifted to the other sections as per requirement”.
But the then Punjab power minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar had come down heavily on the power corporation and stated that the state government was in favour of encouraging sports culture among the youth, promoting sports in the state and this act of the Powercom is not acceptable.The proposal was kept aside.
However, during the last board meeting, the power corporation has once again decided to scrape all posts of sports cell and with the retirement of the incumbent sports persons working in the corporation, it would be declared a dying cadre.
PSPCL has a rich legacy in sports. They are unbeaten, since the last around two decades in All India Electricity Sports Control Board tournaments, as they are holding the General Trophy of AIESCB. The corporation also has a huge sports infrastructure at Patiala, Bhatinda and other districts. It’s sports complex in Patiala was inaugurated in 2005 by its former chairman YS Ratra to promote sports in the department.
Besides Punjab police, PSPCL is the only Punjab government department that recruits the outstanding sports person. PSPCL recruit outstanding sportsperson from 14 fields- athletics, cricket, hockey, football, basket ball, volley ball, badminton, lawn tennis, table tennis, body building, power lifting, kabbadi, wrestling, tug-of-war.
The present senior sportsperson Madhuri Saxsena got inducted as foreman under sports category, in Punjab state electricity board in 1996. She represented India in athletics, while in service and got medal in 2002 Asian games. She got Arjuna award in 2003 and Punjab government highest sports achievement award- Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award in 2006. Recently, PSPCL employee Raj Kumar, a para athlete, got Arjuna award in Badminton, while serving PSPCL.
When contacted the senior sports officer, she confirmed the development and also said “ the management has asked the players to do work from 9 to 5 pm in the offices and when any tournament will be organized in Punjab or anywhere , we will inform them and allow them to start practicing for the sports event”.
November 18,2020
