IPL 2016: Bombay HC presents uncomfortable questions to BCCI on Maharashtra matches

The IPL 9 kicked off with an incredible clash between Rising Pune Supergiants and Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Bombay High Court, who heard the apprehensions of moving the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches out of the state due severe water crisis, have asked the BCCI to consider shifting the tournament out of state and has demanded answers from the board.

Three matches are slated to be held in Nagpur, and IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab has agreed to shift matches to Mohali or elsewhere if the HC tells it, he said.

The judges asked the RWITC to give an undertaking whether it would supply water for the IPL matches scheduled in Pune.

The HC Bench’s poser to the BCCI on whether it can shift IPL matches out of Pune should be seen in the light of the fact that nine IPL matches have been planned in that city during the current season. A Bengaluru-based lawyer, Diwakar filed a PIL in Karnataka High Court to shift the IPL matches from the state citing drought as the reason. A bench of Justice VM Kanade and Justice MS Karnik made the query after hearing a public interest litigation by NGOs Loksatta Movement and Foundation for Democratic Reforms on the “misuse” of lakhs of litres of water for maintaining cricket pitches. And the battle for water in the parched state has everyone gunning for the celebrity cricket league.

“We are not going to use tanker”, said Dada, adding, “Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) will provide 7 to 8 tankers of sewage treated water per day”. The court had asked questions from the state government after the petitioner claimed to prioritise the usage of water and use it for agriculture instead. “Thus, we can use it for IPL”, Dada said. Kings XI Punjab were scheduled to play three matches in May at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur.

The matter has been adjourned after lunch as government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani sought time to file an affidavit on the stand of the state administration on the issue. The report cited a letter to the MCA by RWITC secretary B.A. Engineer as saying, “Our club has received a request to provide seven-eight tankers of our sewage treated water on a daily basis up to the end of May 2016, to water the MCA’s Wankhede Stadium. It’s not good that people don’t have water”, Wadia said. The court was informed by BCCI that they purchase water to maintain the grounds and it is non-potable and can not be used for drinking purposes.