Chhetri thanks football fans for overwhelming support
Mumbai, June 8 : Indian football team skipper Sunil Chhetri has welcomed the overwhelming fan support from across the country after his emotional message on social media urging to back the team up went viral.
"Our team's pride and passion to represent the country is at an all-time high considering the nationwide outpour of love and support over the past week," Chhetri told IANS in a statement, after the narrow loss to New Zealand on Thursday.
"We are motivated to give it our very best on the pitch for our country, our fans and emerge victorious. I am hopeful that this excitement and energy will continue throughout the tournament," he added.
Chhetri scored during India's 1-2 loss to New Zealand in their final league encounter of the ongoing Intercontinental Cup, in front of a packed Mumbai Football Arena crowd, who braved heavy downpour to cheer the team.
Despite the loss, India are guaranteed a spot in Sunday's final, having finished the league stage on top of the table with six points.
The Kiwis too, have the same points but a superior goal difference helped the hosts remain on top.
Thanking the fans for their overwhelming support, the Indian captain said this was just the start of good times for the national football team.
"We believe that this is the start of an era where people will change their mindsets and come out in full support of all the sports that are represented by India's national team," he said.
Chhetri also thanked radio channel -- Radio City -- who took up the onus of evoking a sense of patriotism amongst the fans by initiating #StudioNahiStadiumSeLIVE to ensure maximum support and turnout during Thursday's tie.
"Radio City's initiative to cover us live throughout the day from Mumbai is a very kind gesture for the team and I thank them for taking up our cause," the skipper said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
