Chennai: Tamil Nadu assembly speaker J C D Prabhakar on Sunday instructed officials to provide drinking water facilities, install high-mast lights, replace gym equipment and prevent water stagnation at Gopalapuram sports ground in the city.Prabhakar inspected the sports ground and the gym facilities in his Thousand Lights constituency, after local youngsters raised complaints over lack of basic amenities. “The youngsters there said drinking water facility isn’t available in the sports ground and sought high-mast lamps. They also pointed out the lack of car parking,” he said.Prabhakar said the boxing ring campus inside the premises remains locked whenever boxing matches are not held. “I have instructed officials to allow the premises to be used for car parking when boxing matches are not taking place,” he said.Residents and youngsters also sought replacement of old gym equipment. Prabhakar said new equipment would be installed within 15 days. He further directed officials to prevent water stagnation inside ground premises. “Some of these works will be completed within 15 days, while the remaining works will be finished within 30 days,” he said.On Saturday, the speaker inspected Avvai Shanmugam Salai, Sivasanmugapuram and M K Radha Nagar areas in the constituency and reviewed complaints related to sewage overflow, damaged roads and lack of civic amenities. He instructed officials to resolve sewage issues in Avvai Shanmugam Salai within a month and lay temporary roads.At Tamil Nadu urban habitat development board tenements in M K Radha Nagar and Sivasanmugapuram, residents complained of severe sewage stagnation. Prabhakar directed officials to immediately clear the sewage and establish a permanent drainage mechanism within 15 days. He added that he would also execute his poll promise of conducting the “Chief Minister Vijay sports tournament”. “This will benefit all kinds of sportspersons, and it will be conducted for three days,” he said. Thanking voters for making him win with a margin of 15,000 votes, Prabhakar said he didn’t want to say thanks by going street by street in an auto or a jeep. “I want to say thanks to voters by giving them solutions,” he added.
