Association Asked To Fulfil Few Demands

Mumbai: In a major relief for the Bombay Hockey Association (BHA), chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is all set to renew the lease of the sprawling play ground allotted to it nearly four decades ago on a nominal lease rent. While the lease officially expired in December 2003, it was terminated a year ago when it was found that the BHA had blatantly violated the lease conditions.

A week ago, when Congress legislator Charan Singh Sapra took up the cause of BHA with Deshmukh, he agreed to renew the lease, but on four conditions (see box).

Sapra confirmed that Deshmukh has agreed to grant conditional renewal of lease. “I think the conditions are not harsh, in fact that they are as per the lease conditions. Under such circumstances, I feel BHA will agree with Deshmukh’s proposal. However, a final decision will be taken by the executive committee of the BHA,’’ Sapra told TOI.

The state government had allotted nearly 22000 sq mtrs land to BHA on lease in 1972 on the condition that the ground will be utilised exclusively for promotion of hockey . After the lease expired on December 31, 2003, the sports department declined to renew the lease, when it was confirmed that the association had violated the lease conditions, particularly, renting the ground for marriages and had also erected permanent structures. The BHA filed an appeal before the city civil court challenging the decisions of the government to terminate the lease. The court dismissed the appeal on March 4, 2008.

Following the court decision, Sapra stepped in to resolve the dispute and knocked at the chief minister’s door. Simultaneously, the sports department had drafted a multicrore plan for setting up a regional sports complex, which is to include an indoor hockey stadium.

During the meetings with the CM, which were also attended by leading hockey players, Deshmukh had made it clear that he would consider the plea only if BHA gave un undertaking that it will strictly abide by the lease conditions.

Now it appears that the dispute will be resolved, provided the BHA promises to not violate the conditions prescribed by the chief minister.

THE DOTTED LINE…

Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has laid down the following four conditions for Bombay Hockey Association to abide

Give 200 sq mts land to Mumbai Cricket Association

Pay the impending penalty for renting the ground for marriages

Give an undertaking that hereafter, it will not violate the lease conditions

Withdraw the case filed before the HC