LAHORE: The issue of laying blue astro-turf here at the National Hockey Stadium experienced yet another setback on Wednesday as the Sports Board Punjab (SBP), claiming violation of terms of the deal by a private contractor, gave the latter the final show-cause notice, hence extending uncertainty over Pakistan’s Olympic preparations.

SBP’s final notice to the contractor raised objections over delay in laying of the pitch. The latest development is a clear signal that the members of London-bound hockey squad — for whom primarily the turf is to be laid — may not get the chance to test their skills and technique on blue turf even once before they set out for Olympics.

Last year, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif sanctioned Rs35 million for the placement of blue turf on the request of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Qasim Zia with an initial plan to lay it before December 2011 for a friendly series against China during that month.

The ambitious plan could not materialise.

And the current situation indicates that the new turf might not be in place even after the Olympics as the SBP served the contractor a final show-cause notice on Wednesday, intensifying the issue further.

On Tuesday, the new turf reached the National Hockey Stadium. But the trucks loaded with the turf and related stuff were not allowed to enter the stadium, according to a media statement issued by the contractor.

The contractor claimed neither the SBP was allowing entrance to the trucks nor any of its officials were ready to communicate with him on the reasons, if any, for stopping the trucks.

The real dispute between the two parties erupted over the installation of the shock pads. Though the contractor had signed the agreement under which he had to install the shock pads before laying the new pitch. In an ill-planned move, the contractor had decided to lay the new turf, without shock pads, claiming shock pads were not needed.

However, the SBP, on their part, considered it a serious breach of the contract and subsequently served two notices to the said contractor before sending the final notice on Wednesday.

In yet another related development, there is a report that lately the contractor has agreed to install shock pads but now the SBP has served the final notice, which means the row will remain unresolved for a long time.

A SBP spokesman in a media statement issued on Wednesday said: “The Sports Board Punjab (SBP) has issued a final show-cause notice to the installer of the blue turf at the National Hockey Stadium for adopting delaying tactics in the execution of the project in due frame of time.

“The firm M/s Swallow International, owned by Usman Afridi, was given the task to lay the synthetic turf at the stadium which should have been laid by now but he has violated the terms of the deal from day one.

“He [the contractor] was with clear directives on five counts — on April 25, 27, 30 and then on May 4 and 8 — asked to remove the shock pads, clean and asphalt the surface of the stadium but he failed to remove them and follow other work, compelling the SBP for his continuous violations of the terms to declare Afridi and Swallow International a black-listed firm and take legal action,” the media release added.