Bhubaneswar: With the India-South Africa T20 international scheduled at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium December 9, the BJD Monday said the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and the state government must ensure that previous “lapses” like “floodlight failure” and “poorly managed” pass distribution do not recur.
In a statement issued by party spokesperson and media coordinator Lenin Mohanty, the BJD said the “lapses” witnessed during February’s India-England ODI at the same venue, “including floodlight failure and mismanagement in pass distribution”, must not be repeated.
Mohanty said foolproof security was critical in view of the recent terror blast in Delhi and the subsequent high alert across the country.
“The international match must be organised without any glitches… The floodlight failure had brought ridicule and embarrassment, and such incidents cannot be repeated. Both the OCA and the state government must take utmost care,” he said, reacting to the high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on match arrangements.
BJD spokesperson Mihir Ray said several preparatory meetings were held before the previous match, some chaired by the CM, and yet the floodlight failure occurred “without any clarity on responsibility”.
“Apart from a token show-cause notice to the OCA, no concrete accountability was fixed,” he claimed.
Ray also referred to allegations of irregularities in pass distribution.
“Many cricket lovers could not get tickets despite their eagerness, while several local BJP leaders were seen obtaining passes conveniently,” he alleged, adding that ticketing and pass management for the December 9 match must be “transparent and systematic”.
Reports have indicated that the number of tickets for public sale has been reduced this time, while OCA officials have already presented match tickets to the chief minister and ministers, the BJD said.
“Beyond symbolic acts, what is essential is flawless conduct of the match,” Mohanty said.
He added that this year’s preparatory and review meetings “must not turn into a farce”, and urged the OCA and the state government to act responsibly to avoid any repeat of last year’s controversies.