The National Green Tribunal has restrained three cricket stadiums including Jaipur's SMS stadium from carrying out any sports activity without its permission, saying they failed to respond despite notices from the Central Ground Water Authority and the tribunal regarding the use of groundwater.
The other two stadiums are Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium (Raipur) Dr D Y Patil Stadium (Mumbai).
The matter has been posted for further proceedings on August 17.
The Tribunal passed the interim order in the matter regarding the use of groundwater or fresh water to maintain cricket grounds instead of the sewage treatment plant (STP)-treated water, and against not installing rainwater harvesting systems for groundwater storage, discharge and restoration.
Reply pending since April
Earlier in April, the tribunal had issued notices to six cricket stadiums across the country, including these three besides Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium (Lucknow) and Barabati Stadium (Cuttack).
The Tribunal had asked them to explain why their activities should not be stopped for failing to disclose to the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) the source of water used to maintain the pitch and grounds.
While Lucknow stadium and Delhi stadium have already filed the reply, Cuttack stadium has sought four weeks time for reply. On the other hand, these three stadiums did not respond to the notice.
“Having regard to the serious issue of water shortage in different areas of the country, we were expecting that these stadiums will duly respond to the tribunal's notice and will take appropriate corrective measures, but in spite of repeated notices not only from the tribunal but also from the CGWA, these three stadiums have not cared to file any response…,” the tribunal said.
“Therefore, in such circumstances, by way of interim direction, we restrain the following three stadiums — Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur; Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur; and D Y Patil Stadium, Mumbai — from carrying on any further sports activity in the stadium without the leave of the tribunal till the next date of hearing,” it added.
