Asirbad, Samir empowered to run court affairs of Odisha Olympic body

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Mar 31

The general body of Odisha Olympics Association (OOA) has empowered Secretary Asirbad Behera and President Samir Dey to take a final call on court related affairs of the stadium.

At a meeting of the general body of the OOA held in Cuttack yesterday, the members also expressed their confidence in Behera when he offered to resignion the face of allegations of misappropriation of rent collected from Barabati Palace and adjacent shops.

Behera and Dey will decide the course of action on behalf of OOA before the next hearing on this case scheduled on April 21, the meeting resolved. 

Members unanimously agreed that Behera needs to stay put in his position for the improvement of sports in the state. The general body meeting also agreed not to discuss or make any negative comment on the land encroachment allegation surrounding Barbati as the case is in the Supreme Court.

The meeting also pointed out that the roots of the land grab allegation dates back to 1965. The move to construct a boundary wall in 1965 by the then secretary Bhairav Mohanty went unchallenged back then. While a shopping complex was erected on land beyond the Patta land of OOA, the fund collected from it was being spent for the welfare of sports in the state, members pointed out.

The meeting questioned the motive for challenging such a noble move of OOA.

Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) also held a meeting yesterday right after the meeting of OOA where the same issue was discussed. The members recounted the efforts of OCA in the welfare of Barbati.

The members of OCA reposed faith in Behera’s leadership and empowered him to take independent decisions as and when required for the welfare of the sports on the occasion. Apart from OOA, Behera is the secretary of OCA as well.

The members were told that a malicious campaign is on to defame him accusing him of misappropriation of funds, while he has no role in it.