Highlights
- Waste to be managed properly during IPL matches at Chinnaswamy stadium
- Volunteers to request vendors and spectators not to strew plastic
- Messages on segregation will be played on LED screens during the match
New Delhi: India’s annual cricket extravaganza began on Saturday, April 7, as the ball rolled out for the eleventh edition of the Indian Premier League. Spanning over 51 days and 60 matches, waste volunteers in Bengaluru got to work to keep a check on waste generated in the stadium during matches. Packed stadiums are a common sight during the IPL as thousands visit stadiums for a dose of their evening cricket entertainment. At that point, waste management is the last thing that is on the mind.
Home ground to the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Chinnaswamy Stadium will host seven IPL matches this year. Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT), a forum of waste management experts and organisations has shown interest in monitoring waste management during the IPL. SWMRT had earlier found success in managing waste during the Bengaluru Pinkathon and is confident of replicating its success for IPL 2018. N.S. Ramakanth, a member of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s Expert Committee on Solid Waste Management and a founding member of SWMRT held a preliminary meeting with Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials on April 5 to decide on the course of action to be taken to ensure a waste free IPL in the city.
A lot of waste is generated during the IPL matches, both inside and outside the stadium. Not only do they pollute the environment, but they also hinder the match watching experience. Since the IPL is the biggest cricket tournament in the country, it is also a good chance to prove that sporting events can be waste free, said Mr Ramakanth.
The KSCA authorities have agreed to place 200 bins inside the Chinnaswamy stadium for people to dispose wet waste. Vendors placed outside the stadium will be approached by SWMRT volunteers and will be asked to not strew plastics. Along with volunteers, a mechanical sweeper will also be deployed to clean roads around the stadium. SWMRT has also requested the KSCA to ask vendors to shift from plastic plates and straws to paper plate and cups made from stitched leaves. 10 volunteers will be issued identity cards by the KSCA, who can be inside the stadium premises to monitor the waste management initiatives. To sensitise people on waste segregation, KSCA will screen short messages provided by SWMRT on the importance of waste segregation during the matches.
Since a number of people gather to watch these matches, it is also a good opportunity to send across the message of segregation to them. People will learn about the importance of waste segregation, said Mr Ramakanth.
Waste during large gatherings is still a worry for municipal corporations across India. In 2017, the National Green Tribunal asked Delhi’s Pollution Control Committee to look into waste generation and management during IPL matches played at Delhi’s Feroze Shah Kotla stadium. If Bengaluru is successful in ensuring a garbage free IPL, it will pave the way for future garbage free events across India’s sporting spectrum.
Also Read: World Health Day 2018: Inefficient Management Of Waste Is A Cause of Deadly Diseases
