Water supply to Chinnaswamy stadium for IPL amid water crisis: NGT issues notice

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the Karnataka State Cricket Association in a matter regarding the supply of treated water to M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches amid the water crisis.

The tribunal had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report claiming that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) upon request of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has permitted the supply of treated water to the stadium.

A bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted that as per the report, three matches are scheduled in Bengaluru and approximately 75,000 litres of water is required per day at the stadium during the matches.

The bench comprising expert member A Senthil Vel also noted that the report underscored a water shortage of around 500 million litres per day (MLD) in Karnataka’s state capital.

While the Karnataka Water Supply and Sewerage Board (KWSSB) had prohibited the use of drinking water for car washing, gardening, construction and maintenance work, the board permitted the use of such a huge quantity of water in the stadium to hold matches, the bench said noting the report.

"The news item raises a substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms," the tribunal said.

In an order passed earlier on Monday, the tribunal impleaded as parties or respondents authorities comprising the member secretary of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, BWSSB chairman, KSCA secretary, Bengaluru deputy commissioner and district magistrate, Bengaluru.

Noting that all the counsels for the authorities, except KSCA, sought four weeks to file their replies, the tribunal issued notice to the association's secretary.

It said that the counsels could not furnish any details regarding the use of groundwater in the stadium.

"Hence, BWSSB through its chairman is directed to file a detailed report disclosing complete details of quantity and source of water being used in the concerned stadium and also the quality of treated water supplied," the green panel said.

"Let the same be filed at least one week before the next date of hearing (on May 2)," it added.