Jaipur: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has restrained three major cricket stadiums – including Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Stadium – from conducting any sports activities without its prior permission, after stadium authorities allegedly failed to comply with environmental directions on groundwater use.In an interim order passed Friday, the Principal Bench of the NGT, headed by chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad, observed that despite repeated notices from the tribunal and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), the three stadiums did not furnish the required information regarding groundwater extraction and compliance with earlier directions.Besides SMS Stadium, the NGT order applies to Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur and Dr D Y Patil Stadium in Mumbai. The restrictions will remain in force until the tribunal’s next hearing, unless it happens to grant prior permission.The proceedings arise from an execution application related to the implementation of the NGT’s directions aimed at reducing groundwater extraction for maintaining cricket grounds. The tribunal had directed stadiums to use treated sewage treatment plant (STP) water for turf irrigation, install rainwater harvesting systems and comply with groundwater conservation norms.Observing that several parts of the country are facing increasing water scarcity, the tribunal said it expected all stadiums to cooperate with environmental regulations. It noted that the three stadiums in question had failed to respond despite repeated notices issued by both the NGT and the CGWA.The tribunal further authorised the CGWA to prepare a fresh tabulated compliance report based on the replies received from the stadiums.The matter has been posted for further hearing on Aug 17.
