Wednesday, January 28, 2009

To,
Mr. Mukul Chatterjee,
Director - Administration,
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports,
New Delhi.

Once a wellknown Hockey ground now
face pathetic problem in Kovilpatti

Sports loving people would know very well and definitelly accept Kovilpatti and Palayamkottai are the booster to the game of Hockey in Tamil Nadu State as like as Patiala and Jalandhar of Punjab State.
G.Kuppusamy Naidu Hockey Stadium in Kovilpatti was started and developed in earlier part of 1960's by Lakshmi Mills and Kovilpatti Sports Club. By this two organisations the Hockey Team was participated numerable events and became famouus in Tamil Nadu as well as in other parts of the country. Most of the sports loving persons in this region knew well about the rules of the Hockey game and have very much interested in participating or witnessing the All India G.K.Naidu Tournament.
The Hindu, a leading newspaper, in the edition dated 3rd June 1995 highlighted and give much importance about this G.K.Naidu Hocky Tournament and the Ground under the heading "Something to shout about ". Till now Hockey players and Athelitics are regularly practising in this Ground . All India Rajiv Gandhi Annual Hockey Tournament is conducted in this ground.
Now all this becoming sweet memories only. It is came to known that Mr. K. Selvaraj, former Regional Manager, Lakshmi Mills, who is the only present member of the G. Kuppusamy Naidu Trust has decided to sale this famous ground. This makes very disapppoinment of everyone in Kovilpatti. Some Anti - Social elements belonging in the Real Estate and Rice Mill field are very much interested to take over this ground and with the help of Mr. K.Selvaraj they smashed the outer wall and uprooted the trees and put a digital board to display that the association has arranged to provide alternate ground in som other far away place from the present location. All this people joined together to cheating the people.
Political parties specially CPI (M) stuggling hard and fight against to this evil force and try to recapture the ground with the support of Hockey lovers. Revenue Authorities of Kovilpatti handling this issue. The Hockey game players and lovers were very much interest to know about ithis matter.
This is the hightime that Govt. of Tamil Nadu and the Ministry of Youth Affairs to take immediate action in this matter and give new life to Hockey game. This is main wishes of Kovilpatti Hockey game lovers.
Please do the needful and take immediate action to save the Hockey Ground.
Thanking you,
With warm regards,
Ramaswamy34, Kathiresan Kovil Road,Kovilpatti - 628 502.
Encl: Photo copy of The Hindu paper issue dt. 03.06.1995.

my current situation

KOVILPATTI HOCKEY GROUND
G. KUPPUSAMY NAIDU HOCKEY STADIUM,
PASUVANTHANAI ROAD, BHARATHI NAGAR, KOVILPATTI
E MAIL : Kovilpattihockeyground1960@gmail.com

Dear well-wishers and sports loving Gentlemen,

I am Kovilpatti HOCKEY GROUND, wants to share my feelings with you. Please hear my history and present day sufferings.

Do not think me like an ordinary Land situated in Kovilpatti. I am proud to say I am a national monument representing our national game of Hockey. I am a seat to various hockey matches for the last 50 years in this town. My heritage is similar to Sabarmathi Ashram and Saranath Tower, etc. What Amritsar to Sikhs and Varanasi to Hindus I am to Hockey in Tamilnadu.

Hockey was introduced in India by British Army regiments and the game soon found favour among the native Indians. The first hockey club in India came up in Calcutta in 1885-86. The game became popular in Bombay, The Punjab, Madras State. Gradually this game gained its importance amongst the masses and more and more people started playing it.

Making its Olympic debut at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, Indian hockey team cruised home to its first Olympic gold without conceding a single goal. The hallmark of this ruthless domination was the wizardry of Indian hockey legend Dhyan Chand who mesmerized the Amsterdam crowd with his dazzling skills. Olympian Dhyan Chand visited Kovilpatti in 1962 and played on me.

After the victory of Berlin Olympic Gold in 1936, the small village of Kovilpatti knew about hockey. In his fond love on hockey, Dr.Durairaj, himself a hockey player encouraged students and the youngsters of Kovilpatti to play hockey. He along with his friends and philanthropists founded Kovilpatti Sports Club in 1944 and organised state level Hockey Tournaments.

His pioneering enthusiasm and effective efforts of his friends paved way for my rebirth as hockey ground in the year 1960. I was purchased by Dr.Durairaj and his friends like Sri. Durairaj Naidu and Sri. N.Ponnusamy Nadar for a public purpose. It was my earlier prestigious status.The next 30 years precisely golden era for my field as it is one of the well maintained Gravel Hockey ground in India. Thanks to the generous courtesy of Lakshmi Mills, the game of Hockey flourished in a highest scale . Whenever Hockey matches held at my venue the town of Kovilpatti wore a festival look . Definitely Lakshmi Mills Group donated so much of money , manpower and their inputs for the growth of the game. Kovilpatti public ever cherish the L.M.group’s contribution to hockey.

In order to develop the game, Dr.Durairaj coordinated with Lakshmi Mills, Kovilpatti founded G.Kuppusamy Naidu Memorial Trust and All India Hockey Tournament, which is ceased to exist till 9 years back. However, players and athletes are regularly practicing in my soil and Nethaji Hockey Club, Rajiv Gandhi Club, etc are conducting yearly tournaments here.
Mr.K.Selvaraj, Regional Manager, Kovilpatti Branch occupied as secretary of the trust in the latter years. Mr.Selvarj who was expelled as manager of Lakshmi Mills three or four years back is playing havoc with me in the year 2008. He is trying to sell me to a land broker and a rice smuggler.His motive is bad.It is against the fundamental principles of TRUST. records for his cause and got a Court Order is very bad. It is against the fundamental principles of the trust.
One should remember while Dr.Durairaj handed over me to the above trust as GIFT clearly specified that land should be maintained ever as a ground for the welfare of the game. As a secretary instead of safeguarding the hockey monument trying to convert me for housing purposes.

It is a plain fact that Mr. K. Selvaraj or his trust never purchased me but I was a gift to them. So he has no right to dispose a public property like me . Till now my property title deed is under the banner Kovilpatti Sports Club in all Govt. documents. Mr.Selvaraj , patron of KRA Vidhyasram Matriculation School had chosen this kind of unethical activity a shock to everybody . He is one of the ancestors of Jameen Family of nearby Ilayarasanendal.

As my issue became a public dispute, right thinking people of Kovilpatti jumped into fray.They approached Revenue authorities for justice.It was informed in the public meeting convened by Ground Retrieval Committee and CPI(M) on 7/1/09 at Kovilpatti - RDO Mr. Sudharsan rather than dealing this issue in a justifiable manner chose a wrong path. He misused all his powers and acting like an Agent to Land MAFIA. Mr. Sudharsan and high officials had not taken any care about me and trying to support land mafia. Kovilpatti RDO had no any sincerity for the public cause. He is looking me just like an ordinary land ignoring my heritage.Adjacent and allied with me there is PURAMPOKE GOVT.LANDS. So far nobody from the Revenue side protected that valuable land.

Speakers in the above meeting highlighted that RDO enforced 144 Act two or three times to help land dacoits . Police DSP Mr. Kannan , a man of fewer knowledge on sensitive matters collaborated with land brokers it was informed.. He was keeping mum when myself and my spouses ie. Trees , compound wall, rest shed and G.K.Naidu Statue were demolished by brokers.

RDO & DSP purely relying and taking decisions on the records submitted by Mr. Selvaraj. That records are not authentic. Even a subordinate staff in a Taluk Office well knew the landed properties of most of the Jameens are all subject to various disputes due to controversial measurements figures . Also they have no fear to encroach on other’s land . Same is the case of Selvaraj that DSP & RDO did not know . An ideal RDO and DSP would have taken both criminal actions and civil suits on Selvaraj and land mafias but both have no such courage at all . Both of them remaining idle in this issue . These are all narrated by speakers from Retrieval Committee.

In his attempt to sell me, it is learned, records submitted by K. Selvaraj is all framed and tampered. It require resurvey to be conducted by State Survey Dept. Further, no Trust member have right to sell for his own ends the trust's properties. "Trust properties should be safeguarded and promoted" it is the duty of the trust. A trust which did not purchase a property / land have no right to sell the same. These are all my contentions.

Ground demolition & seizure matter was sympathetically heard & photographed by news reporters.But no any news flash or analysis in their papers. It is high time Government of Tamil Nadu and Sports Ministry should intervene to adopt and keep me for playing purposes for ever.

Thank you for listening my story which is somewhat pathetic . I will not remain pathetic ever. May it be a small hardship. I remain with a firm hope that I will survive as a ground in 2009.