Bombay High Court to BMC: Will you continue to not supply water for IPL?

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to file an affidavit stating whether it would continue not supplying additional water to Wankhede Stadium for the Indian Premier League tournament, for maintenance of pitches as they have not done for the last three years.

A division bench of Justices AS Oka and Riyaz Chagla was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO 'Loksatta Movement' in 2016, raising concerns over water usage for ground management during the IPL tournament, when the state was facing a drought-like situation.

In April 2016, the high court had directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to shift all the IPL matches to be held in Maharashtra to other states in wake of the severe shortage of water supply in rural areas.

Advocate Suresh Pakale appearing for the corporation informed the court that it does not supply water to IPL for the last three years, supply is only to the stadium for sanitation and drinking purpose and charges are recovered. To which the bench said: "Is the civic body willing to continue this stand that there would be no special supply of water to the stadium during the IPL tournament?"

The bench posted the petition for hearing on April 6. The court said the civic body affidavit should also clarify whether water was supplied to the stadium at commercial rates. The court also noted that the government was bound by its policy on water supply.