GO sports correspondent
FSDL chairperson Mrs Nita Ambani has announced that the Shree Cement East Bengal Foundation will be the 11th franchise taking part in the ISL 7 being held in Goa from November to March, 2021.
For the past six seasons there were 10 clubs, but this year, the organizers, Football Sports Development Council (FDSL), have increased the teams after the Red and Gold put in their bid having found a new investor in Shree Cement Limited, based in Kolkata. Earlier Mohun Bagan had merged with ATK, former three-time champions in the Indian Super League (ISL).
FDSL chose Goa over Kerala to host the tournament behind closed doors in wake of the prevailing Corona Virus pandemic all over the world with India standing second after the USA for Covid-19 cases.
ATK (now ATK Mohun Bagan) are the defending champions whilst Chennaiyin are the runners-up of ISL 6. The other teams include Bengaluru, Kerala Blasters, Mumbai City, Jamshedpur, North East United, Hyderabad, Odisha, FC Goa and debutants East Bengal.
“The addition of East Bengal opens limitless possibilities for Indian football, especially for talent development,” said Nita, on welcoming the second team in ISL after Mohun Bagan had merged with ATK Kolkata, winners of three editions.
With the Goa Government opening its borders, and also its bars, the State has seen hordes of non-Goans arriving and the deaths due to the virus crossing 400 in the last week of this month.
With some of the ISL teams have arrived in Goa, others are still awaiting for their foreign recruits who are undergoing quarantine camps in countries other than their own.
The FDSL has a difficult task at hand once the teams and the TV crew (some already in Goa last month) are present in the State. Nita, who expects everything to function smoothly, will have to answer a few questions which the Goan Observer has in mind.
The matches will be played at three different venues in Goa – The Nehru Stadium Fatorda, Tilak grounds Vasco and the Athletic Stadium, Bambolim (which was the host for the Lusofonia Games). The teams have been allotted grounds as home venues as per the convenience of the hotels they are booked into. Also 10 practice grounds (most belonging to the Sports Authority of Goa and few to local panchayats). Only East Bengal (the fresh franchise to be included) are yet to be allotted a place.
Goan Observer (GO) wants to know how the FSDL in going to adhere to the norms for Covid-19 set up by the government.
Will Nita and her team take care of sanitization in the hotels where the teams are staying?
Will the FSDL sanitize the practice grounds before the second team arrives for practice at the same venue on a scheduled date?
How will the teams’ jerseys be sanitized and washed (laundered) after their practice and their match once the event kicks off in November?
How many persons will be allowed inside the match venue, given the coaches, assistant/technical staff, etc, in a team?
How many owners of the franchises will be permitted on the match day? How many FSDL staff let in?
Given the recent example of Amit Shah’s son attending the IPL matches with the Arab dignitaries in Dubai, how many VIPs will be tolerated since the games are to be played in closed doors without fans?
How many media persons (both electronic and print) will be let allowed on the match day?
Will those inside the stadium maintain safe physical distancing?
Will the Football Association’s recent advice for field referees on deliberate coughing by a player with a caution, be followed?
Shop With Your Waste Campaign
By GO Team
PERHAPS Mahatma Gandhi would approve of this! This year on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary and completion of 6th year of Swacch Bharat Mission, the City Corporation of Panaji has launched an unusual Shop With Your Waste Campaign (SWYW). The campaign is supported technically under the Waste NAMA project implemented by GIZ India – a German Government Development Corporation and The Energy and Resources Institute – a national think tank.
The campaign is also supported by 21st Century Polymers Pvt Ltd, a large scale buyer for recyclables traded by SWYW-registered shops.
The campaign permits trading of dry and recyclable items against daily use like grocery, electronics, medicines, cloth, etc. Shops interestred may apply for egistration with CCP through https://forms.gle/GpUFINDPy9DfBX168. Registration is free and allows shopkeepers to trade clean dry recyclable waste for daily needs.
The campaign kick started in Panaji with Roopa Cycle & General Stores located opposite Goa College of Pharmacy (June 18 road). This is the first shop implementing the new and interesting sounding SWYW.
Municipal Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues inaugurated the campaign by being the first to trade clean and dry recyclables against daily need items. The campaign also plans to target on improving the socio-economic fabric of the city by providing new opportunities to existing entrepreneurs and waste workers. Bound to catch fire amongst the eco-conscious Ponjekar! To find out more call at the Waste Management Cell of CCP.