It was a rude shock to the cricket-crazy people of Bengal when they woke up last week to find that the Eden Gardens had been struck off the list for a key England-India match on February 27, because the stadium isn?t game-ready for the forthcoming World Cup. Bengal?s loss is Bangalore?s?and the much smaller but beautifully-maintained Chinnaswamy Stadium?s?gain, as the BCCI has recommended that the southern city host the match. Bengal lives for football?cricket during the World Cup, and now IPL?and fish and the adda around all three, in crowded buses and trains. But this is the World Cup, a home Cup at that, and fans are going to be denied this ultimate pleasure. And yet, who killed the Eden Gardens, once touted as the Lord?s of India and surely the finest venue in the subcontinent, what with its carpet of grass, the wind blowing in from the Hooghly (always aids fast bowlers) and the awesome stands that can hold up to 1,00,000 screaming fans.
It?s ironic that at the helm of the Cricket Association of Bengal is Jagmohan Dalmiya, former ICC president and someone who is known as a man of action. Yet, something went terribly amiss during the renovation of the Eden, which anyways started late, and no one can blame the ICC for withdrawing the match from the venue. The stadium is far from ready, chairs are not in place, the paint job is incomplete, corporate boxes are in shambles and work on the giant screen is yet to begin; the wicket and the outfield, however, are in excellent condition, as always. As soon as the news of the rejection came, political bosses, from finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to West Bengal chief minister Buddadeb Bhattacharjee, requested the ICC president Sharad Pawar to reconsider; but the point is, why did things come to such a head, that too at one of the finest venues we have. Pranab babu is in Bengal almost every other week, Buddhadeb babu passes by Eden twice a day on way to work?couldn?t they have done something to prevent this fiasco? Now angry fans are asking should Dalmiya, who himself is in the construction business, have gone for a complete overhaul of the Eden so close to the World Cup.
The Eden Gardens tragedy, in a way, is symptomatic of the deep malaise that has set in in Bengal. The whole state has become too used to not getting things done on time, there is no work ethic, people are inefficient and unprofessional, and get away with it because there is no accountability. Bengal obviously seems to have learnt nothing from Singur, when the Tatas walked out of the state with its small car project in 2008. The chief minister shed his pro-industry image and withdrew into his shell?and is just beginning to emerge from it because the elections are expected as early as May.
Over the past two months, we have seen a much more active chief minister, touring the districts, tearing apart the Opposition, and talking about industry again. Both the CPM and the main Opposition Trinamool Congress are always trading charges with each other, vis-?-vis Maoists, land, industry, agriculture and so forth. And as they fight, the state?s infrastructure is in a mess, there are trouble spots in the north (Gorkha agitation) and south (Maoists), agricultural productivity is diminishing and every industry from tourism to tea is suffering. Soon enough, the blame game will start over Eden too, but that will do precious little for the fan who has lost the chance to watch the Men in Blue. It?s surprising that no one has brought up the ?conspiracy factor? yet?Bengal?s favourite theory for anything that gets aborted. Though, in a move that reminds one of the popular fairytales ?The Emperor?s new clothes?, Dalmiya has sought an explanation from the ICC on why Eden was rejected, when the reasons are there for everyone to see. Like we saw during the run-up to the Commonwealth Games, deadlines haven?t been kept and the work has been handled shoddily, but Delhi did manage to pull it off, unlike Kolkata. Many projects in the city run into inordinate delays (think airport renovation or Rajarhat?s infrastructure) for various reasons, from unruly contractors and political wranglings to harsh weather and difficult labour. It?s obvious that the Cricket Association of Bengal should have taken the Eden Gardens project much more seriously and pulled out all stops to have it ready by the deadline. After all, the deadline was known months ahead.
Due to some terrible management and sheer negligence, Eden Gardens, which hosted the 1987 World Cup final between England and Australia, which the latter won by 7 runs, may not be able to host a single match this time?the three other non-India matches are also in jeopardy. What a shame.
sudipta.datta@expressindia.com
