Bombay High Court raps the BCCI for wasting water amid the severe drought in Maharashtra. The SC said it was a criminal waste of water and asked that the matches be shifted to states that had "water in abundance". It asked, "Are people more important or IPL? Only when your water supply is cut will you understand."

The court's observation comes after a PIL was been filed in the Bombay high court stating that IPL matches must be shifted out of the state.

The Loksatta movement and the Foundation for Democratic Reforms organisation has made the Board of Control for Cricket in India a respondent in the case. Read that story here.

In addition, Mumbai BJP Secretary Vivekananda Gupta has demanded that IPL cricket matches scheduled to be played in Maharashtra should be shifted out of the state due to prevailing drought conditions. Gupta, in a letter addressed to BCCI President Shashank Manohar, stated that a standard cricket field requires a minimum of 80,000 to 1,00,000 litres of water per application.

Approximately two to three such applications are required per week that comes to 1,60,000 to 3,00,000 litres of water per week to maintain turf growth and repair damaged areas, he was quoted in a statement issued here today. 19 IPL matches are slated to be played at Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur between April 9 and May 29. The final match of the tournament is to be held at Wankhede Stadium here on May 29.

The BJP leader said more water was needed during hot and windy conditions and less during winter conditions. Thus, more than 70 lakh litres of water will be required to maintain the grounds for the 19 matches.