Sangrur MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Thursday highlighted the long-pending demand for an astroturf in Sansarpur, known as the ‘Mecca of Hockey,’ during the Zero Hour in Parliament.
He emphasized that Sansarpur has produced 14 Olympians and contributed to seven Olympic medals for India, including four gold, one silver, and two bronze. Hockey legend Ajit Pal Singh, who led India to victory in the 1975 World Cup, also hails from this village. Notably, all these Olympians belong to the same lane and the Kular community.
Meet Hayer informed the House that since 1976, Sansarpur has not produced a single Olympian, primarily because modern hockey is now played on astroturf. However, the village, located within Jalandhar Cantonment, lacks the required land for a sports stadium. He pointed out that an NOC from the Indian Army is necessary to install an astroturf on the existing grassy ground, but despite repeated requests, the Army has neither provided the NOC nor taken steps to lay the turf.
Urging the Union Home Ministry, Sports Ministry, and Minister Anurag Thakur to take immediate action, Meet Hayer called for the installation of an astroturf in Sansarpur, recognizing its immense contribution to Indian hockey.