LAMJUNG: Locals of Bhakunde in Besisahar Municipality-2 have come together to construct a sports ground in Lamjung district.

The locals — old and young — contributed free labour in the ground's construction under the initiative of the local Annapurna Youth Club.

Villagers have planned to level the pasture near Khatrigaun and construct an Eleven-A size football field, however, so far they have only constructed a ground of Nine-A size.

The sports ground requires 25 ropani of land including the pasture, out of which nine and a half ropani has to be purchased. Some of the locals donated land for this purpose.

Kajiram Basnet donated one ropani, Padam Kumari Khadka donated eight and a half aana, Bishnu Maya Khadka donated nine aana and Khadka Bahadur Basnet donated nine aana for the planned field.

To purchase the remaining seven ropani of land, donations would be collected, informed Annapurna Sports Ground Construction Committee Chair, Milan Thapa.

According to the locals, the sports ground that is estimated to cost around Rs 20 million will include a stadium measuring 105 metres in length and 70 metres in breadth, along with a covered hall.

For construction of the ground, locals have donated Rs 478,272, Beshisahar Municipality has donated Rs 500,000 and Member of Parliament Dev Prasad Gurung donated Rs 1.4 million from the Parliament Infrastructure Fund, according to Annapurna Sports Ground Construction Committee Secretary Govinda Khadka.

The construction of the sports ground has brought about joy in the area and the ward will work to complete the construction on time, Ward Chair Ganesh Kandel said.

With the completion of the sports ground, it will be possible to organise province-level sports events, claimed Annapurna Youth Club Chair Dipak Khadka.