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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has permitted the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur to host three international womens cricket matches on October 16, 18 and 20, while imposing environmental safeguards over its use of groundwater for maintaining the playing field.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad modified its earlier order restraining the stadium from conducting sports activities and allowed the matches subject to the stadium depositing Rs 20 lakh with the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB). The Tribunal directed the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board to prepare a scheme for groundwater recharge in the area using the deposited amount and submit it before the next date of hearing. The NGTs order came in proceedings concerning compliance with its directions aimed at reducing the use of groundwater for maintaining cricket grounds and promoting the use of treated sewage water and rainwater harvesting. The Tribunal had, on July 2, restrained three stadiums Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur and Dr DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai from carrying out further sports activities without its permission. In the case of the Raipur stadium, the Tribunal noted that 828 KLD of groundwater was being used for maintaining the cricket ground. Although an STP with a capacity of 150 KLD had been installed, the stadium had not disclosed how much treated water was being generated or used. The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) told the Tribunal that the stadium was mainly using groundwater and had not switched to STP-treated water for maintaining the ground. The Tribunal observed that groundwater is precious and needs to be rationally utilised. The stadiums counsel sought permission to use the ground, citing international womens cricket matches scheduled for October 16, 18 and 20. While permitting the matches, the Tribunal directed the stadium to make all possible efforts to use STP-treated water instead of groundwater for maintaining the cricket ground and file a report on the steps taken before the next hearing. The NGT had earlier directed that cricket and other sports grounds should, as far as possible, be maintained using high-quality treated sewage water, while also ensuring rainwater harvesting and storage/recharge systems. The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 9, 2026. (ANI)
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