LUDHIANA, Nov 30 : As many as 1023 players, including 350 girls, will take part in the Punjab State Inter-School Tournament Under-16 (Boys & Girls) Group-2 to be held at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana from December 1 to 3. Over 150 technical officials have been deputed for the smooth conduct of the games.
Addressing a press conference here today, Punjab Sports Director Padam Shree Pargat Singh said that the tournament was being conducted by the State Sports Department in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India under the new Scheme of Ministry Of Sports, Government of India to promote sports in schools.
Olympian Pargat said that the winner school from all the districts would participate in the Punjab State Inter-School Tournament and the winner school team from this tournament would represent the state in the National Inter-School Tournament to be organised by Punjab Sports Department at Gurdaspur from December 24 to 27.
Pargat said that competitions would be conducted in football, table tennis, volleyball, wrestling and weightlifting. Football and volleyball will be conducted at the Guru Nanak Stadium, wrestling and weightlifting in Multipurpose Hall (opposite main stadium) and table tennis will be conducted in the Shastri Hall.
According to Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Sumer Singh Gurjar all the arrangements for have been completed. The District Administration had conducted a number of meetings to review all the arrangements.
Ludhiana District Sports Officer Jaswinder Singh Bhandari said that girls would stay in Government College for Women, Model Gram and Khalsa College for Women and boys have been provided accommodation in Malwa Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Govt. College for Men and Hostel of Punjab Agriculture University. Official will stay at Kairon Kisan Ghar, PAU and Hostel of Sports Authority of India. (Opp. Guru Nanak Stadium)
Ludhiana SSP R.K.Jaiswal informed that all elaborate security arrangements for the opening and closing ceremonies, accommodation venues and game venues have been made.
Pargat Singh said that Harish Rai Dhanda Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Local Govt. Punjab will inaugurate the tournament at 10 a.m on December 1 at the Guru Nanak Stadium. Chief Adviser to Chief Minster, Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema would be chief guest at the closing ceremony on December 3 at 3.00 p.m. Ludhiana Civil Surgeon has been requested to constitute a medical team of experts to determine the age of a player, if his or her case is referred to the board.