Ongoing Indian Premier League matches at four venues are expected to continue, even as the National Green Tribunal issued notices to six cricket grounds over water use. Officials from Delhi and Raipur stadiums said they plan to meet all directions, and expressed confidence that fixtures will proceed as scheduled despite the tribunal's scrutiny.
The National Green Tribunal asked why activities at these stadiums should not be halted for allegedly failing to disclose the source of water used on pitches and outfields. The tribunal is considering a plea that challenges the use of groundwater or fresh water for ground upkeep instead of treated sewage water.
NGT cricket stadiums, water use notices and stadiums under scrutiny
The six venues named in the case are Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh
International Stadium in Raipur, Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, Dr DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, ow and Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Four of these grounds are currently hosting IPL games.
The plea before the National Green Tribunal also points to the alleged failure of some stadiums to install rainwater harvesting systems. It raises issues about groundwater storage, discharge, recharge, and restoration at these facilities. The tribunal is examining whether stadiums are meeting norms on using sewage treatment plant water for irrigation and maintenance.
NGT cricket stadiums water use case: matches and schedule impact
Officials from Delhi and Raipur stressed that the tournament calendar remains unchanged for now. Arun Jaitley Stadium is set to host Delhi Capitals versus Punjab Kings on Saturday. In Raipur, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have two home games listed, with fixtures on 10 May and 13 May at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium.
The Delhi and District Cricket Association stated that it had already filed a compliance report in March 2025. DDCA officials said they were unaware that the case was listed on 16 April 2026. They maintain that previous directions from regulatory bodies were followed, and that they intend to place their current position before the tribunal shortly.
| Stadium | City | Hosting IPL 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi | Yes |
| Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium | Raipur | Yes |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur | Yes |
| Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow | Yes |
| Dr DY Patil Stadium | Mumbai | No |
| Barabati Stadium | Cuttack | No |
NGT cricket stadiums, water use compliance steps, and tribunal observations
"DDCA had received a notice from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) in the year 2024 regarding the use of groundwater at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. We carried out all the compliances as required under the guidance of CGWA, RR Singh, DDCA's spokesperson, told this daily.
RR Singh added that Delhi's association believes it has followed the National Green Tribunal directions issued earlier. "We have carried out all the compliances and have complied with the directions issued by the Tribunal from time to time. Unfortunately, we were not aware of the matter being taken up on 16.4.26 and therefore could not apprise the Hon'ble Tribunal about it. We are taking necessary steps to bring the correct position on the judicial record, Singh said.
According to Singh, Arun Jaitley Stadium already has two sewage treatment plants operating within the premises and 17 rainwater harvesting pits. These facilities are presented as proof of efforts to rely on treated water and collect rainwater. DDCA expects these measures to be considered when the tribunal reviews compliance records.
An official from Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh, which now controls the Raipur ground, said the body plans quick action. The stadium ownership has been transferred to CSCS recently. The state government previously owned it. We have not received any notice so far, but as we own the stadium now, we will make sure all the compliances are done at the earliest, the official said.
Both the DDCA spokesperson and the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh official stated that National Green Tribunal notices would not interrupt scheduled fixtures. Along with Delhi and Raipur, the stadiums in Lucknow and Jaipur are also slated to stage several Indian Premier League matches over the coming weeks as the tournament progresses.
In earlier stages of the case, the National Green Tribunal had sought explanations from several cricket venues across India. Some stadiums submitted replies after a committee visited their facilities. The tribunal bench, headed by chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava with expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, noted that seven grounds initially failed to respond despite multiple directions.
The order dated 16 April 2026 recorded submissions from legal representatives. "Learned Counsel appearing for Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad has submitted that he has received the instructions today and the reply,y along with all the details,s will be submitted within three weeks, the bench stated while recording the status of responses from different venues.
The same order highlighted concerns about the non-appearance at several stadiums. "Learned Counsel for the Applicant has advanced the submission that the remaining six stadiums have not filed their response till now, nor are they appearing before the Tribunal or responding to the repeated orders of the Tribunal. He has submitted that these stadiums are duly served, the tribunal observed in its directions.
The case now moves forward with six stadiums, including four IPL venues, required to clarify their water sourcing and conservation practices. With officials promising swift compliance and fixtures continuing as planned, the National Green Tribunal's next hearings will determine whether current measures at these cricket grounds meet environmental requirements.
