The state government defended the quality of the work going into the PA Sangma Stadium, which witnessed the collapse of a retaining wall yesterday morning, saying that a blocked drain was to blame for waterlogging and intense pressure on the wall.
A press release also warned against “several misleading messages” and “false information” being spread on social media as to the supposed cause of the wall collapse.
“We urge the public to exercise caution and refrain from believing and sharing such misleading messages. It is crucial to rely on official sources and verified information for accurate updates regarding the incident,” the press release said.
Separately, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stated that preliminary reports from the ground suggest that a buildup of water under the surface of the natural turf football pitch led to intense pressure on the retaining wall, which then gave way under the strain.
The drain became blocked due to work on the indoor stadium that is part of the overall sports complex, the CM said, though he did not offer an explanation as to how this work resulted in the blockage.
However, he defended the quality of the work, saying that the retaining wall had been “built according to specifications” and that there was “nothing wrong in the construction part or quality”.
Sangma also informed that measures have been taken to prevent further damage and he reassured the public that the galleries and floodlight mast next to the failed section of wall were built separately and are stable. As a precaution, however, work is underway to reduce the weight of the floodlight mast temporarily.
