The renowned Green Park stadium, one of the oldest Test match venues in the country, has fallen on bad times due to official apathy and lack of international matches in recent times.
The ground, which has hosted 19 Test matches and 10 one-day internationals, is turning into a haven for crime as gamblers and alcoholics regularly frequent the place.
The stadium has been equipped with all modern cricket facilities and also boasts of floodlights but the six decade-old stadium has not staged an international fixture for the past two-and-a-half years.
Police recently recovered the body of a rickshaw-puller from the gallery of the stadium and also found glasses and an empty liquor bottle. They suspect that the deceased was killed after an argument over gambling and alcohol.
"Anti-social elements were entering the stadium as a boundary wall was damaged," District Sports Officer (Kanpur) and incharge of Green Park Stadium, Brijendra Kumar said.
There are only two watchmen for the stadium spread into 22 acres of land -- one during the day and another for night duty -- and Kumar said he feels helpless to check the entry of undesirable elements into the stadium.
The state government has been asked to repair the damaged wall and construction would take place only after receiving the funds, he said.
Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association director Jyoti Bajpai held the state government directly responsible for the present condition of the stadium.
He said floodlights were installed five years ago at a cost of Rs six crore but not a single international day-night match has been hosted so far. The last international at the venue was the India vs South Africa Test two-and-a-half years ago.
Bajpai said UPCA had spent Rs 15 lakh two years back for preparing a new pitch for international matches but instead local kids were playing on it.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that the non co-operative attitude of the state government is hampering international cricket coming to Uttar Pradesh.
He clearly said that international fixtures could only be held once a new government takes charge in Lucknow.
UPCA secretary for sports and administration P D Pathak regretted that despite having a traditional Test venue, Ranji matches had to be held in OEF stadium and Kamla Club as the government put up several hurdles in allotting Green Park for games.
Due to the unhelpful attitude of the state government, an international match allotted to Green Park had to be shifted to Ahmedabad, he said.
Both Bajpai and Pathak expressed concerns over the deterioration of the famous venue and demanded that the government take immediate measures to arrest the decline.
