Air pollution forces BCCI to ban fireworks display in Delhi, Mumbai during ICC World Cup

The BCCI has prohibited the use of fireworks in Delhi and Mumbai for the remaining ICC World Cup matches at the two places, citing deteriorating air quality.
Delhi has to host just one more match, the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka game on November 6, while Mumbai has two league games scheduled for November 2 and November 7, besides the semifinal on November 15.

“BCCI is sensitive to environmental concerns.

I took up the matter formally with theICC and there won’t be any fireworks display in Mumbai, which can add to the pollution level,” said BCCI secretary Jay Shah in a statement on Wednesday.
“The Board is committed to combating environmental issues and will always place the interest of our fans and stakeholders at the forefront. The BCCI acknowledges the urgent concern surrounding air quality in both Mumbai and New Delhi.
“While we strive to host the ICC World Cup in a manner befitting the celebration of cricket, we remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritising the health and safety of all our stakeholders.”

On Wednesday, Delhi continued to experience “very poor” air quality for the fifth consecutive day, as indicated by an air quality index (AQI) of 372.
In Mumbai, the pollution levels have raised concerns as well. The Bombay High Court on Tuesday raised alarms regarding the “deteriorating” air quality index in the city and took suo motu (initiated on its own) cognizance of the matter.
(With PTI inputs)