India v/s Sri Lanka: NGT slams authorities for holding Delhi match despite 'hazardous' air quality

The National Green Tribunal has slammed authorities for holding the India-Sri Lanka cricket match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi despite hazardous air quality.

Hearing a case on Delhi air pollution, the Green Court observed that 'situation is getting from poor to worse,  children are suffering. 

The tribunal slammed Delhi government for not filling an action report. "You know that PM 2.5 and PM 10 have gone into the severe zone. The next stage is emergency levels. Tell us one thing that the government, corporations, state pollution control boards have done in the last four days. Look at the people abandoning the match."

The NGT said that heavy fines will be imposed on the Delhi government if they fail to file their action plan by Wednesday.

n an unprecedented turn of events, the embattled Sri Lankan cricket team on Sunday held up proceedings in the third Test against India, complaining of poor air quality and forced Indian captain Virat Kohli to declare.

In a first ever incident in the 140-year-history of Test cricket, an international team wore anti-pollution masks while fielding and then refused to continue, stopping play for 26 minutes on three occasions.

Sri Lanka's refusal forced an animated India skipper Virat Kohli to declare at 536 for 7 after some of the visiting team's substitute fielders refused to take the field.

In November 2016, two Ranji Trophy matches scheduled to be played in Delhi – Gujarat against Bengal at the Feroz Shah Kotla, and Hyderabad versus Tripura at the Karnail Singh Stadium – were called off without a ball bowled.