Opposition parties in Maharashtra demand ban on water at IPL venues

MUMBAI: The sixth edition of the Indian Premier League, which kicks off with an opening ceremony on Tuesday, has had its fair share of controversies even before a ball is bowled. The latest one surfaced on Monday after opposition parties in Maharashtra demanded a ban on sprinkling of water on the ground during the tournament.

With the T20 cricket tournament already rocked by Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalitha refusing to host the Sri Lankan cricketers because of the simmering political tensions arising from the treatment meted out to ethnic Tamils in Lanka, the Maharashtra threat will only add to the discomfort.

“Cricket grounds will be sprinkled with water every day during the tournament for maintenance of the pitch, and the grounds in Mumbai and Pune will require about 40 lakh liters of water. This should be banned during the tournament or the event should be postponed,” said leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra, Vinod Tawde. Maharashtra is facing its worst drought in four decades.