The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to six cricket stadiums across India, including Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, demanding explanations for why their operations should not be suspended due to non-compliance with earlier directives and failure to submit required information.
Background of the Case
The action follows a recent submission by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), which stated that despite repeated reminders, seven stadiums did not provide compliance data on groundwater utilization and recharge. However, during the hearing on April 16, one of the seven—Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium—shared the necessary information.
The NGT is hearing a plea filed in 2021 against the use of groundwater for maintaining cricket playgrounds without employing alternatives like sewage treatment plant (STP)-treated water or installing rainwater harvesting systems for storage and recharge. The plea highlighted that cricket matches organized for commercial and entertainment purposes disregard water conservation.
NGT's Observations
In an order dated April 16, the bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted, "The counsel for CGWA has also submitted that these stadiums have been duly sent emails on March 27 and April 7, intimating about the pendency of the matter and requiring them to submit the report." The tribunal pointed out that the applicant's counsel argued for a complete halt of all activities in these six stadiums, urging that they should not be allowed to conduct any sports activities.
Stadiums Involved
The six stadiums that received notices are:
- Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur
- Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi
- Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur
- DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai
- Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow
- Barabati Stadium in Cuttack
Previous Penalties
In January, 12 cricket stadiums across the country failed to share compliance details, leading the NGT to impose a fine of Rs 5,000 each on them.
