NGT imposes Rs 5,000 fine on 12 cricket stadia for failing to submit groundwater use details

NGT (National Green Tribunal) has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on 12 cricket stadia across the country for failing to submit replies to CGWA (Central Ground Water Authority) on the use of groundwater for irrigating cricket grounds.

The tribunal also rapped the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali, operated by the Punjab Cricket Association, for using 6,000 kilolitres per month (KLM) of groundwater to maintain the ground without installing any sewage treatment plant (STP).

The green body was hearing a plea against the use of groundwater or fresh water for maintaining cricket grounds instead of STP-treated water, and against the failure to install rainwater harvesting systems for storage, discharge and restoration of groundwater.

A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel noted that a CGWA report revealed that 12 cricket stadia or associations had failed to comply with the tribunal’s earlier directions to furnish details regarding their use of fresh water.

The defaulting stadia include Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi; Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur; DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai; Holkar Stadium, Indore; MCA Cricket Stadium, Gahunje (Pune); Green Park Stadium, Kanpur; Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow; Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad; Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala; Barabati Stadium, Cuttack; Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot; and Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur.

“The non-submission of report by the above cricket associations has delayed decision in this matter. Hence, a cost of Rs 5,000 each is imposed upon the above 12 cricket associations who have not submitted a copy of the reply to the CGWA,” the tribunal said in its order dated 22 January.

Referring to the CGWA report, the NGT said the I.S. Bindra Stadium had been using 6,000 KLM of groundwater for irrigation and had not installed any STP. It noted that fresh water was being used despite the availability of secondary and tertiary treated water from nearby STPs.

“The plea of the counsel that treated water is not available cannot be accepted. It appears that the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali under the Punjab Cricket Association is not inclined to comply with the tribunal’s orders and intends to continue using groundwater, which has a serious adverse impact on the environment,” the bench observed.

The tribunal said a “somewhat similar situation” was found at other stadia as well.

It noted that Jamtha Stadium, Nagpur (Vidarbha Cricket Association); Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Cricket Association of Bengal); Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium, Lahli; Karyavattom Sports Facilities Limited, Kerala; and ACA Stadium, Barsapara, Guwahati were also using groundwater, and sought explanations from these entities within six weeks.

The tribunal directed these stadia or cricket associations to disclose the steps taken so far to avoid the use of groundwater for irrigating cricket grounds.

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on 16 April.