Six cricket stadiums in India have been issued with a notice for failing to disclose the source of water they use to maintain the surface. All six will now have to explain why their activities should not be stopped.

The notices were issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of India. Earlier this year, the NGT expressed concerns that many sports facilities in the country are still relying on groundwater, despite the availability of treated wastewater. It also bemoaned the failure by the venue owners to invest in rainwater harvesting systems.

The NGT had asked several cricket stadiums to provide the information to the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). Despite repeated directions, seven stadiums initially failed to submit. During the proceedings, the counsel for one of the stadiums requested an additional three weeks to comply, a request that was granted. The remaining six venues opted to remain mum.

A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad now feels it is left with no other option than to issue notices, “to explain why all their activities should not be stopped on the grounds of non-compliance with the tribunal’s order and not submitting the requisite information.”