While the state government had leased out sections of the Cross Maidan to various organisations promoting sporting activities, for a fortnight now, a 13,000-sq metre parcel of the land hidden behind Fashion Street and Khau Galli has been rendered unrecognisable, with the sanction of the state's Sports Department.

This land was leased to the Goan Sports Association in 1963. Since then, it has been used almost everyday for tournaments featuring teams from various banks, public and private sector companies. Students from nearby colleges and schools also use the ground for football practice. All of these will be cancelled during the 12-day function, a ‘Bhagwat Saptah’ to be held here from January 29 to February 9. A grand invitation card for the event even promises a darshan of 40 divine temples.

But that’s not the cause for worry.

The more serious problem is that parts of the ground have been dug up.

Sevigne Athaide, managing trustee of the Goan Sports Association, said that the Sports Department has occasionally allowed religious events at the ground. “Never before has there been anything on such a massive scale. The ground has been damaged and cannot be restored,” she said.

When contacted, the event organisers’ contractor for the construction, LR Battad, said that the construction is temporary and that the ground has been dug only for creating a channel for water from the models of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers to flow.

According to Athaide, the association’s 30-year lease for the land expired in 2003 and authorities are still dragging their feet on the renewal. So, when the Sports Department issued a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to the organisers, the association couldn't go against them, for fear of losing the lease.

Interestingly, three years back, when the association had applied for permission to set up a water harvesting system for maintaining the ground, it received a flat refusal from the authorities.

According to Principal Secretary (Education and Sports) Sharwaree Gokhale, religious functions with a minor crowd are permitted to be organised at such venues, provided that the ground is restored to its original condition. “But they are not allowed to dig up the ground or damage it in any way. I will look into the matter and if it is true, then we will make them pay,” she said.

Questioning how the NOC for the mega event was issued, Neera Punj from Citispace said: “Do the officials mean to say that they have no objection to public property being damaged?”