The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) allegedly facing charges in the status change of organisation into company from cooperative society and change of land use to construct high end hotel The Pavilion at Dharamsala, has again come under fire for constructing a Luhnu Cricket stadium at the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) authorities Land at Bilaspaur.
According to the information, the controversial cricket body has spent over `5 crore to construct Luhnu Cricket Stadium and The Pavilion on the land, which BBMB acquired to accommodate water in the reservoir (Gobind Sagar) up to 1,700 feet to feed the first ever hydro project of the country.
BBMB secretary Ashok Gupta said: “No permission was granted to the HPCA for raising any structure within the area, which generally comes under water when the water level rises.” He said the matter needed to be probed and dealt accordingly.
When contacted, HPCA spokesperson Mohit Sud refused to make any comment and referred to contact Cricket Association, Bilaspur, secretary Vishal Jagota.
Jagota said we had permission granted by BBMB after 1997, but refused to release as the matter was sub judice.
When contacted, deputy commissioner Bilaspur Ajay Sharma also denied such permission and said they had no such document of permission. However, after the then MLA from Kot-Kehloor assembly segment and former minister Ram Lal Thakur staging four-day dharna before BBMB office at Nangal in 1997 demanded to allow the ground to use for the local Bilaspur sportsman.
{{/usCountry}}When contacted, deputy commissioner Bilaspur Ajay Sharma also denied such permission and said they had no such document of permission. However, after the then MLA from Kot-Kehloor assembly segment and former minister Ram Lal Thakur staging four-day dharna before BBMB office at Nangal in 1997 demanded to allow the ground to use for the local Bilaspur sportsman.
{{/usCountry}}Later, BBMB had allowed the government to construct stadium in the lieu of providing sports facility to the wards of Bhakra dam ousters. The ground which was provided to the Bhakra ousters wards was captured by the HPCA. The cricket body constructed a high class stadium for the professional players only to mint money, but the locals players were not even allowed to enter the stadium.