On Thursday, the Valley-based district administration offices had decided to ban all futsal-related activities as an attempt to regulate growing unlawful activities in futsal venues across Kathmandu. Soon after the enforcement of the ban, the futsal entrepreneurs had been lobbying for the withdrawal of the unpopular decision.
"As the entrepreneurs have assured us of positive changes in contentious issues, we decided to lift the ban," said SP Biswo Raj Pokharel, spokesperson of the Metropolitan Police Range Office, Kathmandu.
Local authorities and entrepreneurs have made short-term and long-term agreements that shall be implemented within 15 days to three months. As per the 15-point short-term agreement, the entrepreneurs shall register their firms and all of their activities will come under the purview of the tax system within 15 days.
Betting in the futsal matches, disturbance to locals, selling of tobacco, alcohols and other drugs have been strictly prohibited inside the futsal venues as per the agreement.
"We will take strict actions if students participate in the game without the permission from their parents or their respective school," spokesperson Pokharel said.
According to the police, first aid facilities, CCTV cameras on futsal courts, restrooms and changing facilities shall be up-to-date as per the new agreement. Code of conduct of futsal and price lists of the futsal courts shall be compulsorily displayed among other agreements. The entrepreneurs have also agreed to close the futsal courts before seven in the evening.
Similarly, as per the long-term agreement, the entrepreneurs have been given three months time to prepare a futsal management directive, to set up sound proof futsal courts and initiate insurance policy of the players.
"We were compelled to clamp down on futsal after more than 20 repeated complaints every week from all quarters of society," SP Pokharel said. The law enforcement agencies have also warned the entrepreneurs of stern action if they were found to violate the agreements during their surprise visit and regular monitoring.
According to the police, they were reported of illegal betting in futsal venues, bunking of schools and colleges by students and increasing intake of drugs and alcohols among the youths as well as creating problems to locals and their parents.
Futsal activities that were mushrooming in Kathmandu Valley for the past few years attracting large number of youths and students were left unregulated for long. A working committee led by Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Ram Krishna Subedi, SP Pokharel himself and representatives of futsal entrepreneurs had signed the agreement after long discussion on the contentious issues raised by the government stakeholders.
Futsal, which was first played indoors in Uruguay in around 1930 AD, is played between two teams of five players each.
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