The National Green Tribunal has flagged the continued use of groundwater by cricket stadiums, including the Eden Gardens, to irrigate playgrounds and expressed concern about its impact on the environment.
It has sought explanations within six weeks from cricket associations that are flouting its order mandating sewage-treated water for irrigating playgrounds, and asked them to disclose the steps they have taken to avoid using groundwater.
An NGT bench of chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A. Senthil Vel issued the directives while taking cognisance of a report filed by the Central Ground Water Association (CGWA), at the tribunal’s behest, covering 10
stadiums.
The Eden Gardens, IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali (Punjab), ACA Stadium in Barsapara (Guwahati), Karyavattom Sports Facilities Limited in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium at Jamtha in Nagpur (Maharashtra) and the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Lahli (Haryana) were found flouting the tribunal’s order.
The Eden Gardens, managed by the Cricket Association of Bengal, uses 1,250 kilolitres of groundwater monthly to irrigate its grounds but is taking steps to install an effective rainwater harvesting system, the CGWA told the tribunal.
A sewage treatment plant (STP) to treat wastewater for reuse in watering the ground is being installed for the Eden Gardens, it said.
The STP will use the moving-bed biofilm reactor technology — an eco-friendly way of recycling and reusing water for non-drinking purposes, the CGWA added.
The tribunal noted that the IS Bindra Stadium, managed by the Punjab Cricket Association, is using 6,000 kilolitres of groundwater every month and has not installed any STP.
“It appears that IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali/ Punjab Cricket Association is not inclined to comply with the orders of the tribunal and without utilising the STP-treated water it intends to continue using the groundwater, which has a serious adverse impact on the environment,” it said.
“Somewhat similar is the situation noted in respect of some other cricket associations also.”
While seeking explanations from these associations, the tribunal slapped a cost of ₹5,000 each on 12 cricket associations for not responding to the CGWA’s query.
These 12 stadiums include the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack (Odisha), D.Y. Patil Stadium in Mumbai and the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The next hearing is on April 16.