Delhi Smog: Virat Kohli issues plea to rid national capital of pollution
New Delhi: The world of cricket has turned its eyes towards Rajkot ahead of the first Test between India and England. However, Team India skipper Virat Kohli has a spoke out about a completely different issue, ahead of the five-Test rubber.
Kohli’s hometown New Delhi is suffering from the worst smog the city has experienced in seventeen years.
Various day-to-day activities in the national capital have come to a grinding halt. Visibility has become a major concern in the city, while many of its inhabitants have also complained about having trouble with breathing, and irritation in the eyes and throat. The situation is even worse for people – especially children – who are suffering from asthma. A number of schools have been forced to shut down in the city.
Sporting events that were scheduled to be held in the city during the week have also taken a hit. Two Ranji Trophy matches – between Gujarat and Bengal at the Feroz Shah Kotla, and between Haryana and Tripura at the Karnail Singh stadium, have been called off.
Kohli, who hails from New Delhi took to his social media accounts to spread awareness about pollution in the city, pleading with its people to do everything in their power to cleanse New Delhi.
“I’ve been observing watching on the news. The pollution levels in Delhi are just horrible at the moment,” said Kohli in this video. “Schools are getting closed, sports events are getting called off, and it’s a situation which is only getting worse by the day. If we don’t act, there’s (going to) be a lot of problems in the future.
“Kids are going to suffer from diseases. So look after your families, look after the children whose future really depends on how we look after the current situation and make it better for them,” said the India Test captain.
“It is my humble request to act in a responsible manner, be aware, be more sensible, be more intelligent, and don’t do things that are harming the environment even more. Let’s get together, Delhiites, and start making a difference, because it’s very very important.”
