agencies
Mumbai, April 12: With the Bombay High Court raising questions, the BCCI Tuesday said it will procure treated sewage water for ground maintenance for IPL matches in drought-hit Maharashtra.
“We have tied-up with Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) to procure treated sewage water for the IPL matches to be played in Pune and Mumbai,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) counsel Rafiq Dada submitted.
The high court bench of Justices V M Kanade and M S Karnik was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Loksatta Movement, challenging the use of large quantities of water in stadiums despite the state being drought-hit.
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.
Every day, 7-8 tankers of treated sewage water would be supplied to the stadiums, Dada said. The high court had pulled up the BCCI during the last hearing on the use of large quantities of water for ground maintenance.
Consider shifting Pune matches: HC
Mumbai: Bombay High Court Tuesday asked BCCI if it can consider shifting some of the Indian Premier League cricket matches out of Pune.
A bench of Justice VM Kanade and Justice MS Karnik made the query after hearing a PIL by NGOs Loksatta Movement and Foundation for Democratic Reforms on the “misuse” of lakhs of litres of water for maintaining cricket pitches. Total 20 matches are to be played. Nine matches are to be played in Pune, eight in Mumbai and three in Nagpur.
The court took note of press statements by franchisee Punjab Kings XI that it may shift all 3 matches out of Nagpur. It has asked the franchisee to be impleaded so that it can ascertain its stand. They have also asked if BCCI is willing to give a donation to the CM Drought Relief Fund.
