With the Air Quality Index reaching severe levels in Delhi and getting hazardous in the satellite cities on the national Capital, Shikhar Dhawan has urged people and the authorities to “find solution and take necessary action” to curve the rapidly declining AQI.
Dhawan, out of favour for the T20 Internationals and Test matches, has been named to lead India in the ODI series in New Zealand later this month as skipper Rohit Sharma will be rested after the T20I World Cup. Dhawan will also play the ODI series in Bangladesh, where Rohit will be back to lead the team.
Government agency SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research), working under the Ministry of Earth Science, on Friday morning has reported the Delhi AQI at 472 (severe category). Situation in Delhi’s surrounding cities is more alarming.
A day after directives to close the schools up to standard 8, Noida has recorded the worst AQI (562) in the National Capital Region. The air quality in Gurugram (539) and Faridabad (530) is also reported to be hazardous.
While the Government and civic agencies are implementing restrictions to control the menace, worsened by the stubble burning in Haryana and Punjab – over 24,000 farm fires were reported on Punjab on Thursday, Dhawan posted an appeal on his twitter handle.
“It is very sad to see the air quality in Delhi. I appeal all the people and government to find a solution and take necessary action on the same. Would request citizens to stay indoors and share vehicles, if possible,” read Dhawan’s tweet.
It is very sad to see the air quality in Delhi. I appeal all the people and government to find a solution and take necessary action on the same. Would request citizens to stay indoors and share vehicles, if possible.
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) November 3, 2022
The veteran Delhi and India batter also runs the Shikhar Dhawan Foundation. The foundation every year adopts 11 non-government organisations, which works on social causes across the country.
Delhi has also ordered to shut all primary schools from Saturday till further orders. The Delhi Government is also considering to implement the odd-even scheme for private vehicles, while non-BS VI diesel vehicles have been banned. The banned segment includes diesel cars, SUVs and BS 3 and BS 4 vehicles with an exemption for emergency services vehicles.
The Air Quality Commission, meanwhile, has also advised the State and Centre governments to allow their employees to work from home.
