Chicken excluded from menu at stadium for India-England ODI

Margao, Mar 31 (UNI) The Goa Cricket Assocation (GCA) has decided not to serve chicken or egg biryani at the Fatorda stadium during the Indo-England one-day international (ODI) match to be played here on April 3.

GCA secretary Chetan Desai said following bird flu cases in parts of Maharastra and Madhya Pradesh, there has been a general apprehension about eating chicken and that is why they have decided not to serve it.

''The tickets and pass-holders for the match will also not be allowed to carry bottles or any eatables inside the stadium,'' Desai said.

He also said everything will be available inside the stadium and the stadium caterers have been adviced to take care and serve only quality food to the spectators.

The food and beverage department of Taj Exotica, Benaulim, where both India and England teams will be staying, is also gearing up to receive the players tomorrow. However, the hotel is yet to receive the list of dietary requirements of the teams, sources said.

Meanwhile, Desai also announced that all the tickets for the match have been sold out and cautioned the cricket fans against buying tickets from any unauthorised person.

Goa police have chalked out extensive security plans for the ODI at the Nehru stadium, Fatorda.

DIG Ujjwal Mishra said as many as 800 police and traffic personnel will be on duty on the day of the match. Sniffer dogs will be pressed into service, a day before and on the day of the match and policemen in plain clothes will also be present inside and outside the stadium.

He said besides Goa police, two companies of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and one company of Rapid Action Force (RAF) will also be deployed.

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