NGT issues notice to BCCI for alleged misuse of water

Last year, Indian Premier League matches were shifted out of Maharashtra due to the lack of underground water and that's why Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant were forced to play their home matches in Visakhapatnam. A plea was filed asking BCCI about the misuse of water during matches, for which the NGT has issued a notice to the board.

Apart from the board, a bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim issued notices to the water resources ministey and the nine states where the matches are scheduled for this season. The parties have been directed to file their replies within two weeks and the next hearing on this matter will be held on April 28.

The wastage of water in preparing the grounds forced Haidar Ali to filed the plea regarding this matter.

"Direct the authorities to stop holding the cash-rich tournament for commercial purpose which would be played at nine venues commencing April 7," the plea said as quoted by PTI.

The petition was filed through advocates Braham Singh and Rohit Vidhudi who claimed that some individuals, organizations, and societies misuse the water on a large scale, while on the other hand, a major part of the country faces the problem of water scarcity.

"The 11th edition of IPL will be played at nine venues across 51 days and lakhs of litres of water is to be used for preparing pitches and in the stadium for playing 60 matches which would adversely affect the groundwater level, ecosystem and the ecology of the country," the petition said.