THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Large part of the ground, where several footballers had honed their skills before catching their big breaks and landing sports quota jobs, has been taken away by sea erosion .Youngsters of coastal hamlets cannot afford to go for training in academies in other places
The advancing sea and severe sea erosion have eaten up the Valiyathura football ground, the alma mater of many professional footballers hailing from the coastal hamlets of the capital. According to local people, the ground has been facing neglect for many years now. Despite demands, the authorities have done nothing to protect it from sea erosion. Many strongly feel that after this monsoon season, the remaining ground and gallery would also be swallowed by the sea. Recently, the corporation had constructed a gallery at the ground, which hosts a slew of football games every day. Unfortunately, owing to sea erosion and the pandemic, the players and clubs couldn’t use the ground for the past year.
Where do we play?
Lack of open spaces and football grounds are becoming a matter of concern for young footballers who train at the clubs in Valiyathura. Though there are many indoor football turfs, many players do not have the financial capability to lease them for training. The locals, footballers, and clubs in the locality have already taken up the matter with the authorities. It is learnt that several memorandums have been submitted to the state government in the recent past by political parties and the local church authorities demanding the ground’s protection.
According to authorities of Valiyathura Football Academy (VFA), 125-150 players belonging to several age groups used to practise in the ground every morning and evening. But for the past year, the club has been unable to give professional-level training to the players.
Huge loss
“I have been practising on this ground for more than four decades now. This ground has given wings to many footballers including myself. I got recruited in the Army under the sports quota. Like me, many footballers who had trained and played in this ground, have got jobs in various government departments. It’s disheartening to see the ground, which is part of the heritage of Valiyathura, in ruins,” says 55-year-old Steran A, who is the vice-president of Valiyathura Football Academy.
“Back in 1971, the foundation stone was laid to construct a proper football ground at Valiyathura. The ground had hosted the first-ever women’s football tournament and many historical matches. Every new year, we host arts and sports events at the ground for the past 35 years. This ground is part of our life,” says Steran. Losing the ground would kill the future of many upcoming players from the coastal hamlets. Shiju Mon, an i-League player hailing from Valiyathura, said the ground is in ruins, which would adversely affect the future of many upcoming players. “Many of the players are from poor families and they don’t have the financial capability to send the children to other places for training.
The government should take measures to protect the ground and upgrade it into an eleven’s football field so that we can create more professional players,” said Shiju Mon, who works in SBI. According to local people, the ground is now being used by the fisherman to keep their boats. “The Valiyathura fishing harbour project has been pending for a while now and we want the government to implement the project so that the fisherman can use it for their activities. Once the harbour project comes up, we will get the ground for sporting activities,” said Steran.
LIVES MORE IMPORTANT THAN GROUND
Valiyathura ward councillor Sheeba Patrick said the gallery was constructed for H45 lakh last year. She said people are losing homes because of sea erosion. “Sea erosion has already inflicted damage to the gallery and once the monsoon intensifies, the gallery would also face destruction. Right now, the government is proritising rehabilitation of displaced families and not reconstructing the ground. As per our estimates, around H4 crore would be required to construct a 200-metre-long wall to protect the ground. We have decided to take it up with the MLA,” she said.