Atletico de Kolkata may just have passed the environmental hurdle standing in their way of playing Indian Super League (ISL) matches at the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium, with the five-member expert panel formed by the National Green Tribunal all but giving the green signal.
Assigned to inspect the ISL football venue Rabindra Sarovar Stadium following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that pleaded that night matches should not be organised without proper environmental monitoring, the five-member team led by A.K. Sanyal submitted its report on Tuesday for hearing in the eastern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The report said that there has to be a black cloth put under the floodlights so that light does not fall on the lake. Loud music is also a no-no along with bursting of firecrackers.
There is a limitation on car parking as well. Cars have to maintain a distance of 500 metres from the stadium. But nowhere in the report is it mentioned that matches cannot take place.
"Floodlights should be on till 10 pm in the night. The moment match is over, the lights which focus on the lake have to be turned off. A green belt has to be created. If parties change their stance, high court has to take a call," environmentalist Subhash Datta, who had filed a PIL, told reporters here.
Datta had inspected the stadium along with the committee members a few days ago.
--IANS
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