NGT Approves Women's Cricket Matches at Raipur Stadium with Environmental Conditions

Approval for International Women's Cricket Matches

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has granted permission for the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur to host three international women's cricket matches on October 16, 18, and 20. However, this approval comes with strict environmental regulations regarding the stadium's groundwater usage for maintaining the playing surface.

A bench led by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. Afroz Ahmad has amended a previous ruling that prohibited the stadium from hosting sports events. The stadium is now required to deposit ₹20 lakh with the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) as part of the conditions for hosting the matches.

The Tribunal has instructed the CECB to devise a groundwater recharge plan utilizing the deposited funds and to present this plan at the next hearing.

This decision follows ongoing proceedings aimed at enforcing compliance with directives intended to minimize groundwater usage for cricket grounds, while encouraging the adoption of treated sewage water and rainwater harvesting practices.

Previously, on July 2, the NGT had prohibited three stadiums, including the Raipur venue, from conducting any sports activities without prior approval.

In the case of the Raipur stadium, it was reported that 828 KLD of groundwater was being utilized for ground maintenance. Although a sewage treatment plant (STP) with a capacity of 150 KLD was installed, the stadium failed to provide information on the amount of treated water produced or utilized.

The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) informed the Tribunal that the stadium predominantly relied on groundwater and had not transitioned to using STP-treated water for ground upkeep. The Tribunal emphasized the importance of conserving groundwater resources.

The stadium's legal representative requested permission to utilize the ground for the upcoming international matches, which was granted under the condition that efforts be made to use STP-treated water instead of groundwater for maintenance. A report on these efforts must be submitted before the next hearing.

The NGT has previously mandated that cricket and other sports facilities should prioritize the use of high-quality treated sewage water for maintenance, alongside implementing rainwater harvesting and storage systems.

The next hearing for this matter is scheduled for December 9, 2026.