IPL 2018: Firemen fight for entry, Ashok Lahoti is ‘VIP’

Rajasthan Royals, apart from playing cricket, had to perform the role of brand ambassador for ‘Clean Jaipur’. The Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), which for the last few days has been playing a hardball with the Royals over fire safety measures and other issues, relented only when chief secretary N.C. Goel intervened.

The JMC issued provisional fire no objection certificate on the condition that every participant of the IPL match will have to take an ‘oath of sanitation’.

Of course, there were hoardings mounted near the stadium, in which the Royals were seen sporting message ‘I love clean Jaipur’ but the ‘oath’ never occurred. Apparently there was no scope for the oath ceremony at the match as per schedule laid out by BCCI.

Jaipur mayor Ashok Lahoti, who had created some fuss over issuing fire NoC, was seen enjoying the match from VIP section. Meanwhile, the fire marshals appointed by the municipal corporation looked disappointed. “They had agreed for due placement of fire tenders and allowing 100 fire marshals in the stadium, yet arrangements are not accordingly,” said JMC chief fire officer, Jalaj Ghasia. “We, however, stand here for safety of the public,” he added.

The fire marshals were not issued passes and were stopped from entering the stadium along with their fire tenders. Although the RCA officials intervened to let them enter the stadium, the fire marshals were denied entry in the spectator gallery.