MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister
Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that his government would not provide potable water for curating pitches and he would not mind if the
IPL matches, starting Saturday, were shifted out of the state.
"No potable water will be supplied for watering pitches," Fadnavis said, making the government's stand clear on the ongoing row over wastage of water in IPL matches.
"Water is more important for us than cricket. So, even if the cricket matches are shifted out of Maharashtra, I don't mind," Fadnavis told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference held to announce BRICS cities' summit in Mumbai.
Following the
Bombay high court
's sharp criticism over wastage of water during IPL, there are chances that two to three matches of Punjab team scheduled in Nagpur may be shifted back to Mohali.
According to sources, over 40 lakh litres of water would be needed to water the Wankhede stadium alone.
The IPL T20 tournament is set to begin with the first match between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
Of the total 60 matches, around 20 matches are being held in state since Maharashtra is the only state to have two teams -- Mumbai and Pune.
It may be recalled that the state government had come in for severe criticizm over water being made available for cricket, but not for ordinary people at a time of unprecedented drought. The court asked the government if it was bringing additional water from other states to meet the needs for IPL matches.
"You can't waste water like this. There is more need for water than for your matches. How can you waste water like this? Do you know what is the condition? In Marathwada, people get water only after 4-5 days," Justice VM Kanade had said.
While the court has allowed the inaugural match on Saturday, it will decide on shifting other matches on April 19.
IPL office-bearers have already ruled out shifting matches out of Maharashtra due to water scarcity.
Organisers of the tournament have claimed that the water used for the ground was not safe for drinking. However, the court had asked for more information to substantiate this claim.
In some parts of Maharashtra, where the scarcity of water is particularly serious, police have banned groups of people from gathering at reservoirs and tanks to prevent violence after water riots were reported in some villages.
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