Bombay High Court asks BCCI, MCA to provide toilet, drinking water facilities on public grounds in Maharashtra

The Bombay High Court on Monday asked the Board of Control for Cricket Association (BCCI), Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and the State government to provide basic facilities such as toilets, drinking water and medical assistance on public grounds throughout Maharashtra even for unofficial matches..A bench of Justices AK Menon and MS Karnik said that adults and children play cricket and other sports on public grounds across the State.Most of these grounds are managed by cricket associations and they should provide facilities at training camps and spots where cricket is played so as to encourage the game, the Bench said. The counsel for cricket associations informed the Court that public grounds in the State are under the jurisdiction of municipal bodies.So even when the associations have to organise camps or practice matches, the permission for basic facilities is denied by the concerned authorities.The Bench, however, did not accept the statement and asked the associations to state the same on affidavit."This is not an adversarial litigation. You might get your next star from a public ground. So many bright children are playing on public grounds," Justice Menon remarked.Justice Menon also quipped that the cricket associations and civic authorities like BMC could not claim lack of funds as an excuse to not provide facilities."These are the last organisations that can say they do not have funds," the Bench said.The Bench asked the State, BMC, MCA and BCCI to place on affidavit how many grounds come under their control and what facilities could be provided..The issue arose while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Rahul Tiwari raising grievance that players, who are playing cricket in Mumbai, are not provided basic sanitary and medical facilities during the initial stages of their career which violates their fundamental rights.Tiwari, arguing in-person, informed the Court that when a ground is booked for practice, one has to pay fee to a civic body or sports association managing the grounds.However, even on grounds where professional cricket camps are organised, no access to clean drinking water or toilet for the players, is provided, he said.