NGT restrains sports activity at 3 stadiums for ignoring notices about groundwater use

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has restrained three cricket stadiums 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 green body 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.

Earlier in April, the tribunal had issued notices to six cricket stadiums across the country, including Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, asking 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.

The other stadiums were Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium (Raipur), Sawai Mansingh Stadium (Jaipur), Dr D Y Patil Stadium (Mumbai), Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium (Lucknow) and Barabati Stadium (Cuttack).

In an interim order dated July 2, made available on Friday, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that Barabati Stadium sought four weeks to file a reply, the Lucknow stadium had already filed a reply and the Arun Jaitley Stadium had also filed a reply, after which CGWA sought some additional information.

Advocates Adnan, Satyam Shekhar and Abhik Chandra, appearing for the applicant, submitted that the remaining three stadiums are not responding to the repeated notices, and despite the imposition of costs, they have not cared to respond.

The CGWA's counsel said that these three stadiums have been repeatedly served, yet they have not filed a response.

"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.

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on August 17.