Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has broken his silence on the IPL vs water fight, saying he does not mind if the Twenty20 cricket matches are shifted out of Maharashtra.
While making the statement, the Maharashtra Chief Minister also announced that potable water would not be provided by the state for IPL matches.
“My government has taken a strong position in the High Court. We have said that we will not provide potable water for IPL for this season," said Fadnavis. “Even if IPL is shifted we have no problem, but no potable water will be provided."
His comments came a day after the Bombay High Court refused to grant a stay on the first of the IPL cricket matches scheduled in Mumbai on Saturday.
The court had also sought to know from the state government and the municipal body whether the water supplied to the stadiums in tankers was potable or non-potable.
A city-based NGO had petitioned the court challenging the use of over 60 lakh litres of water to maintain pitches and sought shifting of IPL matches out of the state given the second successive drought it is experiencing.
Altogether 20 matches will be played in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur and all these cities are facing grim water crisis, said the petition.
On two consecutive days, the High Court had come down heavily on the state government, IPL organiser Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) and other cricket associations for “criminal wastage of water".
The court had suggested for the IPL matches to be shifted to a state where water is in abundance and had asked “is your cricket match more important than people".
The court was informed by BCCI that they purchase water to maintain the grounds and it is non-potable and cannot be used for drinking purposes.
(With PTI Inputs)
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