The intervener in the case made a bizarre request to ban cheerleaders from IPL in addition to moving of games out of Maharashtra.
The Bombay High Court has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to shift IPL matches out of Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. It has asked the cricket body to reply by Wednesday.
Thus, the hearing on PIL against holding of IPL matches in Maharashtra in Bombay HC was adjourned for Wednesday.
"Can you provide 40 lacs litre water which you used earlier to the affected drought areas?" Bombay HC asked the board in an obvious dig at India's top cricket body. It also questioned the board on what amount it intends to donate from IPL revenues to the Chief Minister's relief fund.
Earlier, BCCI lawyer Rafiq Dada brought to court half a litre of water being used for watering the pitches, and claimed it was murky and unfit for drinking.
Bizarrely though, the intervener also requested the court that IPL organisers should be asked to refrain from using cheerleaders during matches, as this may affect the 'sentiments of the people affected by drought'.
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court that it won't allow the wastage of even a litre of water for IPL.
ANI reports that the state government told Bombay HC that in their preliminary report, BMC had informed them that it isn't giving any potable water to Wankhede stadium. AAG Rohit Deo representing state government told the court that permission for holding IPL was taken from collector.
"There is no need to take any specific permission for water usage. Water management is dealt by Municipal corporation", said the AAG.
"We've a water policy, where we have emergency powers to ask Municipal corporation to stop potable water supply for specific activities. If govrtnment comes to know that even a litre potable water is being wasted, government will take action," he said.
"We have tied-up with Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) to procure treated sewage water for the IPL matches to be played in Pune and Mumbai," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) counsel Rafiq Dada had submitted earlier on Tuesday.
The high court bench of Justices VM Kanade and MS Karnik was hearing a PIL filed by NGO Loksatta Movement, challenging the use of large quantities of water in stadiums despite the state being drought-hit.
Nine Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches would be played in Pune and eight in Mumbai. Of the eight in Mumbai, one has already been held, the BCCI's counsel told the court.
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.
Everyday, 7-8 tankers of treated sewage water would be supplied to the stadiums, Dada said.
The concept of using treated sewage water should be encouraged because after treating the sewage water, it is released into the sea and goes waste, he said.
"In this case, instead of discharging treated sewage water into the sea, we are using it in the stadiums," the BCCI counsel said.
The high court had pulled up the BCCI during the last hearing on the use of large quantities of water for ground maintenance.
The BCCI has taken very seriously the issue of using water in stadiums in view of the drought situation in Maharashtra, he said.
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.
(With PTI inputs)
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