Facing blanket shortage, hygiene issues: School Games participants

Players participating in the 69th National School Games in the district are battling harsh winter conditions, with many saying the biting cold is affecting both their comfort and performance. As many as 937 players from various states and union territories (UTs) have arrived in the district to compete in taekwondo, judo and Gatka, but for some, the sporting excitement has been dampened by weather and accommodation concerns.

While the education department has arranged accommodation for teams at 38 venues across the city, several participants have complained about unhygienic rooms and inadequate facilities. Gatka players from Madhya Pradesh said they were struggling due to a shortage of blankets in the prevailing cold wave conditions. One female player alleged that dirty washrooms and unclean, smelly mattresses were making it difficult for them to rest properly. “If we are unable to sleep well because of the cold and unhygienic conditions, it will surely reflect in our performance,” she said.

Similar complaints were raised by the Vidya Bharati team staying at Arya Senior Secondary School near Damoria Pull, where players reported stinky bedding. Gatka players from Tamil Nadu also said the cold had been harsher than expected. “We knew Ludhiana would be cold, but not this extreme,” a player remarked.

District sports coordinator Kulveer Singh said blankets had been provided to all teams.”Additional arrangements will be made wherever required. If teams need more blankets due to the sharp fall in temperature, we will provide them. Issues related to mattresses and cleanliness will also be addressed,” he said.

Despite the challenges, competitions continued across venues. At the PAU Open Theatre, under-19 boys’ Gatka matches saw Chandigarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir emerge winners in the first round. In the second round, teams from Delhi, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh advanced.

In taekwondo events held at Government Smart Senior Secondary School, PAU, Punjab’s Harshita won gold in the under-14 girls’ 16 kg category, while Tamil Nadu’s Jaisiri secured second place. In the under-14 girls’ 18-kg category, Punjab’s Jashita finished first, followed by Meenakshi of Haryana.