Major relief for Himachal cricket body over residential complex

In a major relief to the state cricket body, the Himachal Pradesh government has accepted its lease money for land on which an ultra-luxurious residential complex for the players has been set up near its cricket ground in Dharamsala, an official said on Wednesday. The lease money was accepted after five years of a row between the previous Congress government and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) over the construction of the complex, The Pavilion, some three kilometres uphill from the stadium. "As per the demand raised by the government, we have deposited a sum of Rs 1.26 crore as land lease money in the government treasury for constructing The Pavilion. This amount was pending for five years," HPCA's media manager Mohit Sood told IANS here. He said the annual lease, which worked out to around Rs 25 lakh per year, was not deliberately accepted by the previous Congress government. Now it has been deposited. The Pavilion has 94 luxurious rooms, comprising 35 Swiss wood cottages. Hailing the government decision, BJP MP and former HPCA chief Anurag Thakur said the previous Congress government was vindictive towards the HPCA and deliberately registered frivolous cases against its functionaries. The HPCA's showpiece stadium, about 250 km from Shimla, also has a world-class indoor stadium comprising video analysis facilities for both bowlers and players, a club lounge, restaurant, bar and banquet hall.