NGT restrictions on Raipur cricket stadium

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued varying permissions for cricket matches at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur due to groundwater concerns.

Initially, the NGT modified a previous ban to allow the stadium to host three international women’s cricket matches in mid-October. This permission was contingent upon strict environmental safeguards, including a requirement for the stadium to deposit Rs 20 lakh with the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board to fund a groundwater recharge scheme. This intervention followed reports that the facility was using significant amounts of groundwater instead of transitioning to treated sewage water.

However, the NGT subsequently denied clearance for Chhattisgarh’s Ranji Trophy home matches against Andhra and Hyderabad. Consequently, these Elite Group ‘B’ fixtures have been relocated to other venues, such as the DVR Ground in Mulapadu. Reports indicate the tribunal is requesting approximately Rs 20 lakh per match for staging games, and the future of other scheduled matches in the state remains uncertain pending a December hearing.