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Inaugural Indian Super League champions Atletico de Kolkata had to search for a while for a new home venue for the third ISL this year with the Saltlake Stadium unavailable due to renovation work for next years FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
After the Barasat Municipal Stadium and Mohun Bagan ground were found unsuitable, Atletico de Kolkata and the ISL closed in on the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium and then finalised the venue in south Kolkata as the ISL-3 home venue of ATK.
But now environmental activist Subhas Datta has moved the National Green Tribunal pleading that the matches should not be organised at night without proper environmental monitoring as the Rabindra Sarobar Lake was part of the National Plan for conservation of Aquatic Eco-system (NPCA), Datta said in his PIL with the lake area a “highly eco-sensitive zone with big stretches of water bodies and greeneries all around”.
The petitioner made the West Bengal government, the Kolkata Improvement Trust, the Union Environment Ministry, as also the ISL organised Football Sports Development Ltd, the Kolkata Games and Sports Pvt Ltd – the consortium running administration and operations of ISL franchisee Atletico de Kolkata – and the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, were also made respondents.
The PIL pleaded with the tribunal to direct the respondents not to hold or allow holding of ISL matches at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium during night hours “without undergoing environmental monitoring”.
Stating that the Rabindra Sarovar Lake area is a highly eco-sensitive zone, it said holding of such mega-event by using floodlight system may cause harm and hazards to the environment, flora and fauna of the entire area.
“The place, which is a part of the National Plan for conservation of Aquatic Eco-system and where indigenous birds, migratory birds, variety of aquatic lives exist, it is a better option not to hold such event there during night hours.”
The petition said due to the mega event, several thousand motor vehicles would be parked, and loud public address systems operated and possible use of burning fire-works and fire-crackers would cause “environmental hazards”.
The petition would be heard on September 15, Datta said.
If the petition has any chance of success of not is not known at the moment, but ISL matches are held across the season at 7pm in the evening.
