KATHMANDU: The Eastern Regional Stadium Construction Struggle Committee of Itahari has threatened the government to be ready to face the stir if their demands were not met.

The joint convener of the committee, Tanka Prasad Dulal said the delegation team was hopeful after they met with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Deputy PM Bijay Kumar Gachhedhar and ministers. “We are hopeful that the government would allocate the land in Itahari. If the government fails to do so, we will take to the streets after Dipawali and will take control over the proposed land owned by Agriculture Ministry,” said Dulal at a press meet on Thursday.

The delegation team came to Kathmandu after the cabinet refused the proposal of allocating the 16-bigha-8-kattha land for the stadium construction in Itahari despite the Agriculture ministry’s consent.

Players from Itahari on Wednesday also staged various games on the streets of Itahari demanding the construction of the regional stadium in their city. The City Development Project under the Ministry of Physical Planning had recommended the construction of the regional stadium in Itahari two years earlier. The stadium, aimed to complete at Rs 370 million, would have a covered hall, swimming pool, football ground, volleyball court, badminton court, basketball court among other facilities.

The controversy came into limelight when other cities of the district — Dharan, Inaruwa and Duhabi — also claimed their rights after the government allocated Rs 90 million for the regional stadium in Sunsari in the budget.

“We are not against the development in other cities. But we demand the government to construct the regional stadium in Itahari as promised earlier,” said Rajeev Dhungana, Member of the Struggle Committee.