Treated sewage water will be used for the ground maintenance for IPL matches in drought hit Maharashtra, BCCI said, after Bombay High Court raised the question.
“We have tied up with the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) to procure treated sewage water for the IPL matches to be played in Pune and Mumbai,” BCCI counsel Rafiq Dada submitted.
An NGO Loksatta Movement filed a petition challenging the use of heavy quantities of water in stadiums. The High Court bench of Justices VM Kanade and MS Karnik was hearing the PIL.
“Nine Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches would be played in Pune and eight in Mumbai. Of the eight in Mumbai, one has already been held,” the BCCI's counsel told the court.
“Three matches are slated to be held in Nagpur, and IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab has agreed to shift matches to Mohali or elsewhere if the HC tells it,” he said.
"Everyday, 7-8 tankers of treated sewage water would be supplied to the stadiums," Dada said.
"The concept of using treated sewage water should be encouraged because after treating the sewage water, it is released into the sea and goes waste," he said.
"In this case, instead of discharging treated sewage water into the sea, we are using it in the stadiums," the BCCI counsel said.
During the last hearing, the High Court had pulled up the BCCI, upon the issue.
"The BCCI has taken very seriously the issue of using water in stadiums in view of the drought situation in Maharashtra," he said.
As sought in the public interest litigation, the High Court had declined to stay the IPL opening match on April 9th in Mumbai. The court then seriously questioned its seriousness in tackling the situation.
The court did not stay match on April 9th, as it wanted to know whether the water used in the stadium is potable or not. Regarding the same, the court asked the government and the municipal corporation, to file separate affidavits.
Not stopping there, the court further asked both the authorities, about the policy if any, for the supply of potable and non-potable water to Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and other cities in Maharashtra.
Court clarified that, until this query is answered, granting stay could not be considered.
Due to the delayed monsoon, this year, the court opined that, there could be further scarcity of water. Keeping this in mind, the bench asked whether the state and civic body made any contingency plans.
By Phani Ch
