UPCA hopes to recover some money from Rs 1 crore deposit

KANPUR: The working committee of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) on Wednesday decided to make efforts to get back some amount from their Rs one crore deposit with sports directorate as rent of Green Park stadium.
The members discussed the issue and opined that the hike in rent should be in a rational proportion. Since in the previous international matches the rent was up to Rs.9 lakhs, the demand of Rs. one crore was irrational and illogical. Though the UPCA deposited the demanded sum with a protest to hire the stadium to organise the one-day match against England, it was decided that it was time to pursue the matter and get it sorted out once and for all.
The meeting, which was held in the absence of general secretary Rajeev Shukla as he has been advised rest after an operation, lasted about an hour at Kamla Club. The members also decided to get back a deposit of Rs. 22 lakhs from sports directorate which was deposited for the use of floodlights during the last one-day match. Since the floodlights were not used, the money should be returned to the UPCA, the members opined.
The executive committee authorised PD Pathak, secretary sports administration, to pursue both the matters with due consultation with general secretary.
Director Jyoti Bajpai briefing the proceedings of the meeting said that the committee had taken the issue of land for a new stadium on priority and it was decided to finalise it at the earliest. Talking to TOI he said that the land/stadium committee had spotted about a dozen sites, all situated in the vicinity of Kanpur. A report of these lands was in progress and very soon the committee would finalised and then a MoU would be executed between the parties for the sale/purchase of the land. The members had opined that the land for own stadium should be in the vicinity of Kanpur.
Bajpai also informed that a financial assistance of Rs. 2 lakh had been given to Rama Mishra, its former selector and Ranji Trophy player who was ill. Financial assistance given to Ravi Shukla and Tushar Khandekar, a young cricketer, was also ratified in the meeting.
The committee appreciated the performance of UP Ranji Trophy team which had played the final of Ranji Trophy this year. Efforts of Shivakant Shukla and Parvindar Singh in batting were also appreciated and ratified the announcement of cash award to them.
In the meeting, besides Jyoti Bajpai, PD Pathak, MM Mishra, Shoaib Akhtar and others were present.