LAHORE - The shock pads are being removed from the National Hockey Stadium (NHS) to fulfil a laid down condition in the tender and to resolve row between the installer and Sports Board Punjab to lay the blue turf for Pakistan team’s preparations for London Olympics.
Labour removed plastic shock pads, a strong base support to the plastic surface. "The work has been started to erase the pads and to lay new one and will be completed within a month," said installer of turf Usman Afridi.
The shock pads are a vital part of the turf and it absorbs shocks helping the players to avoid injuries and to provide a strong hold to the synthetic turf. SPB Director Sports Jalil Chohan on the occasion said: "We are doing everything in accordance with the conditions mentioned in the tender and we are taking these measures to ensure transparency."  He said the SPB paid for the cost of pads in the tender and there was no question to lay the blue coloured turf on the old pads. "Technically, there is no combination of old pads with new turf," he added.  The installer said that he had started removing the pads but there was no guarantee to complete the project within the given time frame which was the end of the next month.  Usman said his intention to use the old pads which were in good shape and condition was to save the national money and to complete the project ahead of the time but on the insistence of the SPB, he would be installing the new ones.