With the Bombay High Court directing that all IPL matches after April 30 be shifted outside Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that his government is not against the tournament but firm on not providing potable water for pitches.
"We haven't said no to IPL but we are firm that we won't be providing potable water to IPL. Our stand is clear that non potable water should be used for watering the pitches and ground," Fadnavis told the media here.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister also said that his government has made a state-level drought relief committee, which would include Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse and the Leader of Opposition.
The High Court earlier in the day ordered that all IPL matches after April 30 should be shifted outside Maharashtra.
Matches scheduled until April 30 can, however, be held in the state, the High Court said, adding that it could not afford to ignore the plight of people.
The court was hearing a petition filed by an NGO, which claimed that 60 lakh litres of water is proposed to be used for maintaining cricket pitches in the three venues that will host IPL matches in Maharashtra namely Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.
