Team Herald
PORVORIM: The Goa Cricket Association (GCA) on Sunday adopted a resolution to consider and approve new constitution as per the recommendations of the Lodha Committee.
The GCA, at its Special General Body meeting to consider and approve the proposed new constitution of its body as per the recommendations of Lodha Committee appointed by the Supreme Court, adopted the resolution with 86 votes in their favour, while just one opposed the same.
Addressing the media, GCA, Acting-President, Suraj Lotlikar said, “Today there was a special general body meeting called by the Association. The agenda that was set for this meeting was the amendment to the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) Act as per the recommendation of Lodha Committee. We placed it before the body and discussed it wherein the general body resolved it as 86 voted in favour of the recommendation,”
“Sports-week Club, which is represented by Hement Angle, opposed it because of some points but we were bound by the COA (Committee of Administrators) guidelines. Only one association, who has recommended and who had accepted this recommendation was the Vidharba Cricket Association, so based on that association the COA has prepared a checklist and as per the checklist, we have to recommend it and put it before for approval of COA,” said Lotlikar
He further revealed that they would minute the general body, which the secretary would compile with legal advice and will send it to the COA for their approval.
“The COA, who has sent the circular, states that, without doing amendment of this recommendation, they cannot send their funds to the associations and if the funds are not released then cricket would have suffered” he said
When asked about the financial position of GCA, the acting president said that they have money in one of the accounts, but due to some of the past incidents and ad hoc committee, which had to be approved on Sunday in the SGB meeting, were reluctant to release those funds.
“We have informed the COA of the financial position of the GCA and have also issued a letter regarding the same. We have also brought to their notice that ground activities have been hampered. However, they are bound by the court order and yet they took a not of it. We are hopeful that funds would be released soon,” Lotlikar added
Meanwhile, Sports-week Club, which is represented by Former Ranji Player, Hemant Angle, who had opposed the amendment, stated that he will think about further steps.
“Today the discussion was whether the amended constitution should be passed or not. So they could have answered my question in today’s meeting but, however, they didn’t. But today they amended the constitution. The Lodha Comittee recommendations were not properly interpreted in that draft,” said Angle.
It can be recalled that the High Court of Bombay at Goa had recently dismissed the writ petition filed by Sportsweek Cricket Club challenging the decision to hold an Annual General Body meeting of the Goa Cricket Association.
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GCA in talks with CM Parrikar over an Int’l cricket stadium
PORVORIM: GCA on Sunday informed that it is in talks with the State government over the allotment of land at Dhargal Sports City for constructing international cricket stadium. However the Association has said that once land is allotted the stadium will be ready within the next three years.
“Now we are firm. I have already initiated discussion with the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and sports minister to allot us the land in Dhargal Sports City. The place has to survive and run on its own and not just turn into a white elephant. There are examples of other cricket associations where they have gone bankrupt” said GCA Acting-President, Suraj Lotlikar.
“My point is first choosing of land is important as it should have a financial viability to support that stadium on its own, without disturbing the funding which comes from BCCI to run this normal cricketing activity. Now that was not considered while buying that land. The financial viability of Dhargal is good with the airport coming there along with 5 star hotels. And now government is building six lane roads wherein you can reach within 15-20 minutes,” said Lotlikar. He further said that he has appealed to the general body to forget what has happened in the last five years because of their infighting which has resulted in the delay of the stadium.
