By IANS,
Mohali (Punjab) : The Punjab Police is planning to slap a bill of nearly Rs.14 million (Rs.1.38 crore) on the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) towards providing security at the Mohali stadium during the last two Test matches and one One-day International.
A letter mentioning details of the expenditure incurred by Mohali police while providing security cover for the cricket matches was sent by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jatinder Singh Aulakh to Director General of Punjab Police (DGP) N.P.S. Aulakh Monday.
The last Test at the PCA stadium, India-England match from Dec 19-23 last year, was played amid unparalleled security arrangements in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.
The PCA stadium was turned into a fortress during the match with around 900 cops looking after the security of the stadium day and night. Punjab Police’s expenditure during this grandiose affair is pegged at Rs.6.7 million (Rs.67 lakh).
The PCA stadium is in Mohali district in Punjab, around 10 km from Chandigarh.
The other Test match played here was between India and Australia from Oct 17-21, 2008. The cost for this has been pegged at around Rs.5 million (Rs.49.61 lakh). The one day international was between India and Pakistan in 2007, for which the expenditure is estimated at Rs.2.1 million (Rs.21.43 lakh).
Asked whether PCA would pay up, SSP Jatinder Singh Aulakh told IANS Tuesday: “I cannot say anything on the issue, whether PCA should foot the bill or not. My only duty was to submit the bills to my senior officials, now they themselves would take legitimate action.”
“We have calculated the amount on the basis of the basic salary and other allowances and incentives meant for the officials on duty,” said Aulakh.
In May 2008, the Punjab Police had submitted a bill of over Rs.15 million to PCA for providing security cover during the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, but PCA did not pay it.
G.S. Walia, joint secretary of PCA, reacted, saying: “Providing security cover is the duty of the police. Moreover, we have not got any such bill till now.”