Punjab-Arunachal match deferred as district admn locks Patiala’s Dhruv Pandove stadium
THE CRICKET STADIUM MANAGED BY THE PATIALA CRICKET ASSOCIATION IS HEADED BY PATIALA MP PRENEET KAUR
PATIALA : The Cooch Behar Trophy (U-19) match between Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh, which was to be played at Patiala’s iconic Dhruv Pandove Cricket Stadium from November 26, has been postponed as the district administration locked the venue saying a probe into the alleged irregularities in granting lease of the land is pending.
The cricket stadium managed by the Patiala Cricket Association is headed by Patiala member of Parliament (MP) Preneet Kaur. She took over the reins of the association in 2021 when her husband Capt Amarinder Singh was the chief minister.
The Arunachal Pradesh team practised at the stadium on Thursday morning but it was locked in the afternoon on the orders of deputy commissioner Sakhsi Sawhney. “As per the directions of the director horticulture, Punjab, the lease of 38 bighas on which the stadium is constructed was given for 30 years on July 27, 2021. A committee has been formed to probe the lease agreement between the Patiala Cricket Association and the horticulture department. This stadium remains locked and no activity would be allowed till the completion of inquiry,” reads a letter dated November 21 by the director horticulture to the Patiala DC. The association had signed the lease agreement with the horticulture department during the tenure of Capt Amarinder Singh. After Preneet took charge of the association, a former cricketer and Patiala resident Piyush Rana filed a complaint alleging that the then DC and the horticulture department ignored rules while signing the lease agreement. Following this, additional chief secretary, horticulture, formed a committee to probe the allegations on July 1, 2022. Association chief Preneet Kaur did not respond to calls and text messages.