BCCI wants permanent mechanism to deal with rain gods

New Delhi, May 12 (UNI) With the Met office predicting heavy rains and thunderstorms during the two Test matches between India and Bangladesh later this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is seeking a permanent mechanism to deal with the vagaries of weather.

BCCI President Sharad Pawar has written to Earth Sciences Minister Kapil Sibal, asking for a permanent mechanism that will help the BCCI fix the dates of matches in the sub-continent according to advance weather conditions.

''I have received a letter from Mr Pawar this morning, seeking a permanent mechanism,'' Mr Sibal told a press conference here. ''We will start the process next week.'' Mr Pawar's letter came in response to Mr Sibal's offer to provide inputs about the weather conditions to enable the Cricket Board to hold matches during balmy weather.

''Of course, we will charge the BCCI for providing weather inputs,'' Mr Sibal said and added that the Board's revenue collection would increase with less disruption of matches due to rains.

The Met ofice has predicted advancement of monsoon over Bay of Bengal by a week. It has forecast rains and thunderstorms between May 12-15 when the 2nd and 3rd ODI are being played between India and Bangladesh. It has also predicted majoy interruptions of the Chittagong Test Match on May 18-22 and the Dhaka Match on May 25-29 due to heavy rains and thunderstorms.

''We want to link with other ministries and NGOs too which want inputs about advance weather conditions so that they can plan the events in advance.... The Met department should get ready for the big operations.'' Mr Sibal said the Cabinet would soon take up the modernisation of the Met department at a cost of Rs 900 crore.

''It will be modernised in 2008,'' he added.

UNI