RWITC to help Wankhede meet its water requirements for IPL matches

Mumbai Cricket Association President Sharad Pawar has taken a wonderful move which might enable Wankhede Stadium to host its share of eight IPL games.

The furore over conducting IPL matches in Maharashtra is currently a burning issue for BCCI. NGO’s, Politicians and General public have opposed conducting matches in Mumbai, Pune, and Vidarbha due to the severe water crisis.

The apex board is waiting anxiously for the Bombay High Court’s decision on Tuesday (April 12) regarding the shifting of Indian Premier League matches from Maharashtra due to the severe water crisis in the state.

The MCA president, considering the water issue, requested the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) to help provide water to the iconic stadium from its Sewage Treatment Plant at the Mahalaxmi Race Course. The racing season is about to end and the RWITC, which uses this water to maintain its racetrack, has agreed to Pawar’s plea to provide water much to the relief of MCA and Mumbai Indians.

In a letter to Pawar (a copy of which is with the TOI) on Monday (April 11), the RWITC secretary BA Engineer wrote, “Our club has received a request to provide seven-eight tankers of our sewage treated water on a daily basis up to the end of May 2016, to water the MCA’s Wankhede Stadium. We can supply this water so that acute water crisis can be overcome to enable you to conduct your cricket matches. The charges will be decided at a later date.”

“I am thankful to the RWITC for agreeing to help us out in this time of crisis,” Pawar told TOI from New Delhi. This eco-friendly mode of supplying water to the Wankhede Stadium’s pitch and rest of the ground may just convince the Bombay High Court to allow the IPL show to go on at the Wankhede. If that does happen, it will be another feather in the cap for the seasoned politician in his successful innings as a cricket administrator.

The RWITC had, a few years back, asked the BMC, which ensures that sewage water is directed towards the Arabian Sea, for permission to launch this Sewage Treatment Plant to meet its water requirement. The permission, to ‘treat’ sewage water for use, was granted by the BMC.

Kings XI Punjab owner Ness Wadia has supported the idea of shifting IPL matches out of Maharashtra due to the water crisis. “We are considering shifting the matches on humanitarian grounds. The consideration has been done internally. Obviously, we can’t hold matches when people of India are suffering and water crisis is a serious issue,” Wadia told Times Now on Monday.