Wankhede Stadium is scheduled to host Mumbai Indians' home games. IANSWhile fights have already started over water in drought-hit areas in the nation, authorities are not ready to change the Indian Premier League (IPL) itineraries because of lack of water.
In Marathwada, Maharashtra, people are fighting for water because water distribution happens only once a month. Even if there is a little water somewhere, police have to stand guard. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders for the third time this summer following fights that erupted over water.
The conduct of a cricket match consumes about 60 lakh litres of water, which can sustain about 18,000 families in areas severely hit by drought. While the matches in Maharashtra alone can sustain about 50,000 families, authorities are going ahead with plans to carry on with the matches, which would lead to a significant amount of water being wasted.
The excuses that officials put forward for not postponing the matches are not easily comprehended. Preparations for at least a month are required to cure the pitch for the matches. No one is allowed to bring water from outside during the match and they have to purchase water from the stadium. Considering the amount of water that is wasted to create one-litre of bottled water, we can assume the magnitude of losses that are involved. Even while lakhs of litres of water are misused, authorities are not talking about conservation. None is ready to consider it as an environmental problem.
Maharashtra is facing droughts because of unscientifically prepared dams. Most of the dams in the state are lying dry. While crores are spent to prepare dams, no one is concerned about water conservation. The impact of a summer is most felt by farmers who have no means to bring water to their fields. While cities dump polluted waters, the farmer does not have that luxury. Since farmers cannot put a siege on the city, no one cares for their problems. People who used to shout for drinking water are not even ready to mention a word against IPL matches.
The excuse that the venues cannot be changed does not hold any merit because there are other venues available. One is pained to know that cricket is becoming a national human rights violation. Cricket of course does not hurt anyone. It is the money involved that is causing problems.
Life would cease if the villages and its folks are annihilated. Cricket has grown so much because the poor folks in the villages cheered the players on whenever they had time to watch a match on TV. If they are denied water, life itself would cease.
(The author is a sports law expert)
