The Indian Express            12.12.2013  

Hit by funds crunch, Baroda hockey body seeks VMC help

The Baroda District Hockey Association (BDHA) is gearing up to fight
the burden of heavy taxes. Ten days after the Vadodara Municipal
Corporation (VMC) sealed their office for non-payment of taxes amounting
to over Rs 15 lakh, the “non-commercial” hockey association is set to
write to the Municipal Commissioner, seeking exemption from taxes.
Ironically, the association ground will host the Khel Mahakumbh hockey
semi-final on December 16.

Acting on a notice dated November 30, the VMC sealed the
administrative office of the Association until the body clears the
outstanding municipal taxes amounting to approximately Rs 15.37 lakh.
This includes the dues towards property taxes and water connections,
which the association claims it does not have.

The association says that in the absence of any funds or grants,
it is simply left in the lurch. Shyam Prabhakar, BDHA president, says
that the body does not charge a single penny from the players. “These
taxes have become a major burden on us, especially since the VMC started
levying tax on the ground too. We are a non-commercial association that
is involved in training and promoting the national sport of India. We
are always willing to organise the ground for any district- and
state-level championship matches too. There must be some exemption shown
towards the game.”

Prabhakar says that the association runs through donations of
well-wishers, which are hard to come by. “There is no rule or provision
that the government or the Indian Hockey Federation, of which the
Association is a member, must give us a stipulated grant. So, whatever
we manage to get from regular lovers of the game and sponsors is what we
have to run the game with. And it is not sufficient to pay heavy
taxes,” says Prabhakar.

The BDHA ground, located right across the road from the Navlakhi
Ground on Rajmahal road in Vadodara, has been given to the association
on a lease by the erstwhile rulers of Baroda state. Prabhakar says the
onus of paying the property taxes, however, lies on the association.

Every year, the ground hosts several matches in the form of two
league tournaments, four knockout tournaments and several clashes in the
Under-14, Under-16 and Under-17 category for various district- and
state-level championships. Even as its administrative office lies locked
and sealed as per the VMC command, the ground is scheduled to host the
state-level hockey semi-final match of the Khel Mahakumbh on December
16. Official invites for the Khel Mahakumbh clash have been sent out by
the VMC.

Prabhakar says, “We are only interested in maintaining the ground
well and promoting the game of hockey.” Almost 500 hockey players from
across Vadodara use the ground to practice the game.

Prabhakar is hopeful that his request will be heard. VMC
Commissioner Manish Bharadwaj said he will be able to examine the case
only when he receives a formal request. Bharadwaj, however, was aware
that the association had been slapped with heavy taxes. He said, “All
institutions that have any kind of premises are supposed to pay taxes
levied as per the provision laid down in lieu of municipal services
extended to them. We will need to examine the rules and see what we can
do once we get their request.”