NGT directs guidelines for water usage by cricket stadiums

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The National Green Tribunal has directed the central groundwater authority to provide guidelines regarding the use of water by cricket stadia across the country.

The green body was hearing the matter regarding the use of groundwater or fresh water for maintaining the cricket playgrounds without resorting to the alternate use of sewage treatment plant-treated water, and the non-installation of rain water harvesting system for storage, discharge and the restoration of the groundwater.

In an order dated November 26, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash directed the CGWA to "file the guidelines in respect of the use of water by the cricket stadium or similar other set-ups and the judgment of the Supreme Court/tribunal passed in this regard." The bench comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel noted that several cricket stadia had provided reports regarding the use of water.

The tribunal further directed the authority to compile and tabulate the information provided by the stadia, specifically including the status of borewells, the extent of groundwater withdrawal, permission for the borewell, the status of use of STP-treated water and the status of installed RWHS.

The CGWA was also directed to provide information regarding whether it had imposed any environmental compensation on the stadia, the tribunal said.

The matter was posted on March 19 for further hearing. PTI