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The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench, New Delhi, has expressed serious concern over the continued groundwater extraction by several cricket stadiums across the country to irrigate cricket grounds, despite earlier directions to shift to treated sewage water.
The Tribunal has directed erring cricket associations to explain their non-compliance and imposed environmental compensation on those who failed to submit mandatory reports. A Bench headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, along with Expert Member A Senthil Vel, while hearing Execution Application connected with Original Application, noted that the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) had filed a consolidated compilation on January 20, detailing water usage practices of various cricket stadiums across India. The Tribunal observed that, despite repeated directions issued on November 26, 2024, and July 17, 2025, several cricket associations continue to rely on groundwater for irrigation and have either failed to install Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) or are not utilising treated water, even when it is available. Noting the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, operated by the Punjab Cricket Association, the Bench recorded that the stadium uses approximately 6,000 kilolitres of groundwater per month for irrigation and has not installed an STP. Rejecting the plea that treated water was unavailable, the Tribunal relied on official communications showing that both secondary- and tertiary-treated water are available from nearby sewage treatment plants and can be accessed upon payment. The Tribunal observed that the continued use of groundwater in such circumstances indicates a clear reluctance to comply with environmental directions and has a "serious adverse impact on the environment". The Bench further noted that similar groundwater dependence has been disclosed in respect of Jamtha Stadium, Nagpur; Eden Gardens, Kolkata; Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium, Lahli (Haryana); Karyavattom Sports Facilities Limited, Kerala; and ACA Stadium, Baraspara, Guwahati. These stadiums have been granted six weeks to provide explanations justifying groundwater use and to disclose the steps taken to date to avoid such extraction. The Tribunal also took strong exception to the failure of twelve cricket associations to submit compliance reports altogether, despite repeated opportunities. These include prominent stadiums such as Arun Jaitley Stadium (Delhi), MCA Stadium Gahunje (Pune), Sawai Mansingh Stadium (Jaipur), Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (Hyderabad), and others. Holding that such non-compliance had delayed adjudication, the Tribunal imposed costs of Rs 5,000 each on all twelve defaulting associations, to be deposited with the Secretary, NGT Bar Association, within two weeks. Subject to the deposit of costs, the defaulting associations have been granted six weeks to submit their replies to the CGWA. The matter has been directed to be listed next on April 16, 2026, for further consideration. (ANI)
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