Why Jaipur for IPL, it’s drier: High Court

The BCCI’s headache — finding alternative venues for IPL matches shifted out of Maharashtra — is far from over. The Rajasthan high court has taken a strong view on IPL matches being held in Jaipur despite the water crisis in the state being graver than in Maharashtra, from where matches were shifted out following a Bombay high court order. “Why hold matches in Jaipur when even Rajasthan is facing water shortage,” asked a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ajay Rastogi and Justice D.C. Somani while issuing notices to the state government, BCCI, state water resources regulatory authority, public health engineering department, sports and youth department and the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA). They have to file their replies by April 27.

Accepting the petition filed by Jaipur-based freelance journalist Mahesh Pareek challenging the three Mumbai Indians matches scheduled to be held at Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur, the court expressed concern, saying there was a time people used to enjoy boating in Ramgarh dam but today there is not a single drop of water in it. The groundwater level has been declining constantly, it said.

Mr Pareek used the same grounds in his petition as those used when IPL matches were shifted out of Maharashtra and sought a stay on the matches in Jaipur. “The matches were shifted from Maharashtra because of drought. There is drought in Rajasthan too, more severe than in Maharashtra, therefore matches should not be held in Jaipur,” he said in the petition. Drawing the court’s attention to the state’s water policy framed six years ago, the petitioner said, “Cricket, which comes under leisure or entertainment, is at the bottom end of priorities as far as the public use of water is concerned. As per the water policy, first and foremost is providing drinking water for human beings, followed by animals, then agriculture and industry.”

According to Mr Pareek, most of Jaipur city is in the dark zone. “On one hand people are forced to protest for drinking water because the state government has failed to ensure adequate supply, yet daily three lakh litres of water is being used for ground maintenance. And why is the state government seeking a special drought package from the Central government when water is being misused for IPL matches,” he said.