NGT asks Karnataka cricket board reasons for using fresh water at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru

The National Green Tribunal has asked the Karnataka State Cricket Association why it was using fresh water for watering the turf at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) earlier in April sought a reply from the state cricket association in a matter regarding the supply of treated water to M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

It had observed that around 75,000 litres of water was required at the stadium during IPL matches while there was a shortage of around 500 million litres per day (MLD) in Karnataka’s state capital.

In its order dated November 26, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said that the association had filed a reply disclosing the different sources from where the water was obtained.

“A perusal of the report filed by Respondent number 4 (Karnataka cricket association) discloses that the respondent is using borewell (groundwater) for watering turf, which is the freshwater source,” said the bench also comprising judicial member Sudhir Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel.

The tribunal noted that the association’s counsel sought time to obtain instruction regarding the reason for using fresh water instead of water treated by a sewage treatment plant (STP).

“Let the affidavit verifying the above aspect be filed within four weeks,” it said.

During the proceedings, the tribunal also noted that as per the reply, the association was not able to obtain the required quantity of municipal sewage to fully utilise the 200 kilo litre per day (KLD) capacity STP installed by it.

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on March 19.