High drama followed former champions Mohun Bagan's build-up to the 10th I-League football as their home matches were shifted to Barasat Stadium after a National Green Tribunal order banning matches at Rabindra Sarobar over environment concerns.
With the Saltlake Stadium not available because of renovation for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup, Mohun Bagan were originally slated to play at the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium located near the lake in a highly eco-sensitive zone.
But acting on a plea, the NGT directed that Mohun Bagan would not be allowed to play at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium owing to impact on the environment on the sprawling lake.
Mohun Bagan's arch-rivals East Bengal already have Barasat as their home venue and the ruling would now mean both the Kolkata heavyweights would fight it out at the Vidyasagar Krirangan in the northern outskirts.
The 2015 champions kick-off their I-League campaign against Churchill Brothers at 7 pm on January 8 and they will play three back to back home matches. But Mohun Bagan managing director Anjan Mitra said they would appeal against the NGT order at a proper forum.
"As of now our first match is shifted to Barasat and we will be appealing against the order and try to bring back our matches to Rabindra Sarobar Stadium. All members can see the match on production of their current membership cards," Mitra said.
The Eastern Zone bench of NGT, comprising Justice (retd) Jothimani and expert member Prof P C Mishra, directed that Mohun Bagan's home matches would not be allowed to be held at the stadium.
The stadium is located adjacent to the sprawling Rabindra Sarobar Lake, home to several species of migratory birds, in the southern part of the metropolis.
NGT issued the order on a plea by environment activist Subhas Dutta that holding the matches with thousands of supporters in attendance may impact the birds and other flora and fauna.
The NGT said that without an environment impact assessment, no such activity can be held at the stadium.
The Indian Super League Kolkata franchise Atletico de Kolkata did face a similar situation this season as the same petitioner had filed a PIL arguing that the games under floodlight could cause environment hazard.
Eventually ATK's matches got underway as per schedule but with some restrictions.
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