Regulating groundwater for cricket playgrounds: NGT seeks status report from MoJS

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) to file a status report within two months regarding the regulation of groundwater extraction for maintenance of cricket grounds.

The green panel was hearing a petition alleging the failure of the MoJS to comply with its order passed in April 2021.

In the order, it had directed the ministry's secretary to hold a joint meeting with various stakeholders, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), for considering prohibition on groundwater for maintenance of grounds when matches were not being played.

The NGT had asked MoJS, BCCI, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Central Pollution Control Board to instead consider utilisation of treated water from a sewage treatment plant (STP), besides ensuring rainwater harvesting in all grounds and engaging an expert for every cricket stadium.

A bench of chairperson Justice A K Goel along with judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel said, "...we find it appropriate to direct the secretary, MoJS to file a status report in the matter within two months".

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on August 10.

According to the petition, "the failure to prevent the usage of groundwater for (cricket) playgrounds is to the detriment of access to potable water for (drinking) water, particularly in areas which are drought prone and classified as dark zones."

The petition also referred to expert studies, according to which no adverse impact of use of treated sewage water on soil and turf grass was found.