Diljit concert: Delhi pollution body finds JLN stadium clean month after NGT order

A month after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the immediate restoration of the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium following singer Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Delhi, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) inspected the venue and found it clean.

The DPCC’s report to the NGT stated that maintaining the cleanliness of the stadium for non-sporting events was the responsibility of the event organisers.

“The Diljit Dosanjh concert was held on October 26 and 27, 2024, within the main JLN stadium. Several armoured decks were placed on the football ground to protect it while the public stood on them,” the report noted.

The inspection was carried out on December 19, 2024, in compliance with the NGT’s order issued a month earlier. The tribunal had instructed the DPCC to restore the stadium to its original state, remove all debris from the event, and submit an action-taken report within two weeks.

The NGT had passed its directions on November 19, 2024, after noting a news report describing the post-concert condition of the stadium. The report highlighted that the grounds were strewn with trash, including broken glass bottles, beer cans, plastic wrappers, and other waste, to the extent that athletes attempting to clean the area were overwhelmed by the scale of the damage.

In its December 27 report, the DPCC stated that the inspection aimed to “ascertain the action taken by the Sports Authority of India (SAI)” on the matter. The pollution body reported that all areas within the stadium premises were found clean, with no garbage or waste on the grounds, seats, gates, or nearby roads. Public entry and exit points were also inspected and found to be in a clean condition.

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The report noted that JLN Stadium is equipped with numerous dustbins, which were also found clean. Waste from the dustbins is collected in a dedicated waste collection room and cleared weekly by Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) trucks, as per information from SAI officials.

The report also clarified that during the concert, only the inner ground and running tracks were closed for athletes, while the outer grounds and tracks remained accessible, as public entry was restricted to these areas.

Addressing the tribunal’s query about rules governing the use of stadia for such events, the report referred to SAI’s terms and conditions. It stated that during the booking period, organisers are responsible for cleaning the booked areas and handing them over to SAI in a neat and clean state after the event. If the premises are found unclean within 24 hours post-event, SAI can have the complex cleaned at the organiser’s expense, deducted from their security deposit.

It was also noted that SAI has allowed non-sporting events in its stadia since July 2013. Dosanjh’s concert, which saw around 70,000 attendees, had initially left trash scattered on the running tracks.

(With inputs from PTI)