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A court in India Wednesday directed organizers of Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament to shift matches from the drought-hit western state of Maharashtra to save water.
"A division bench of Bombay high court today directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to shift all the 13 matches scheduled across Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur after April 30," an official said.
While admitting that shifting IPL matches would not solve the problem, the court said if water is diverted to drought-hit areas, it can offer some respite.
"Shifting of IPL matches to another state can mark a beginning toward addressing drought situation in Maharashtra," the court said.
Last week the court reprimanded Maharashtra's cricket body (BCCI) for the apparent use of thousands of liters of water to prepare pitches for the matches at a time when large parts of the state were reeling under severe drought. It described the water usage in making pitches for the game as "criminal wastage."
The petitioners, in an estimate to the court, said 6 million liters of water will be used for the 19 matches scheduled to be played in Maharashtra's Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.
Pune and Nagpur are located in the areas worst hit by drought.
The multi-billion-dollar cricketing tournament - IPL Twenty20 games began on Saturday. Top cricket players from cricketing world and Indian players purchased by franchise teams representing Indian cities take part in the contest.
The final was supposed to be played in the state capital of Mumbai on May 29.
Two successive poor monsoons have triggered drought in the Maharashtra's Marathwada region, resulting in scarcity of drinking water and failure of crops.
Officials said dams in the region are left with just 5 percent of water ahead of the summer season.
Ground water level in Maharashtra's several drought-hit areas have dipped at an alarming level. The worst hit is Latur district, about 470 km east of Mumbai.
On Tuesday authorities brought half a million liters of drinking water to Latur using a special train.
