PNS | DEHRADUN
The 38th National Games will begin across the State today and continue till February 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to formally inaugurate the event in Dehradun, which is being hosted by Uttarakhand for the first time.
According to officials, 36 games have been selected for the National Games in Uttarakhand. The competitions will be held in various locations across the state, including Dehradun, Haridwar, Rudrapur, Haldwani, Tehri, Shivpuri, Pauri, Almora and Tanakpur.
Officials have informed that the players participating in the National Games have been briefed on the arrangements by the control room, following directions from Sports minister Rekha Arya. The players will have food options based on their preferences. This year’s theme for the National Games is “Go Green.” Under this initiative, authorities have ensured that medals and other items used during the games will be made from e-waste materials, with no plastic components used.
To ensure the success of the 38th National Games, authorities have ordered equipment from across the country, recognising that not all necessary equipment is available domestically. Based on expert advice, they have procured sports equipment from countries known for their Olympic-level standards, including France, Sweden, Australia, Germany, Spain, Japan, the United States, the Netherlands, Switzerland, England, Portugal and Slovakia, the officials said.
Officials have also made arrangements to ensure that players do not face any problems during the event. Th Health department has formed 141 teams to provide health facilities which will be on standby from January 28 to February 14.
A 10-bed hospital will operate for players at the Maharana Pratap Stadium in Dehradun and a two-bed hospital will function at the IGI Sports Stadium at Gaulapar in Haldwani. Additionally, the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya District Hospital and Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) in Dehradun have also made preparations for the National Games. The district hospital has reserved 10 recovery beds and 10 ICU beds for the players, while GDMC has also reserved 10 beds for player recovery.
