KSCA Navule Stadium deluged in Shivamogga after incessant rainfall

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) grounds at Navule have experienced severe rainfall over the past few days. The incessant rains have deluged the stadium and the delayed drainage project is being blamed for the worrisome condition.

Ironically, the stadium was built on the place where a historical tank existed for several years. The flooded condition of the ground is hampering the young cricketers an opportunity to practice. The rainwater from nearby regions flows into the stadium premises and from there, it trickles down to the Navule tank.

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As the outflow from the tank was obstructed owing to the silt, the ground remained inundated for three days straight. Whenever it rains heavily, the stadium is flooded. Some will remember that in August 2019, a similar situation emerged as the stadium was inundated following heavy rainfall in the Shivamogga region. The delay in finishing the project, which is supposed to divert water flow to the drains, is said to be the reason behind the flooding.

The KSCA was granted 26 acres of land in the city for a stadium for the Shivamogga zone of the association in 2002. The construction of the stadium began in 2007 and it was ready to host matches in a couple of years. Five acres out of the total land allocated to the KSCA were taken for the development of a tank and an adjacent road.

The Shivamogga zone, spread over Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts, has 45 institutional member clubs, four institutional associate member clubs and around 45 non-affiliated clubs.

H.S. Sadananada, who is the KSCA convener for the Shivamogga zone, informed that at least 400 cricket matches are conducted each year in the stadium.

“We conduct under-14, under-16, and under-19 club matches. Cricketers from three districts are being benefited by the cricket stadium,” Sadananada stated.

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Earlier this year, in January, Karnataka youngster Prakhar Chaturvedi etched his name into the history books at this very ground in the Cooch Behar Trophy final. He broke Yuvraj Singh's 24-year-old record for the highest individual score (358) in the tournament. The youngsters amassed an unbeaten 404 off 638 balls against Mumbai. Karnataka won the tournament after taking a first innings lead in the drawn final. Budding cricketers in the region would hope that the ground clears up soon so that they can resume their practice.