Bangladesh cancel training session in Delhi due to 'severe' air pollution
New Delhi, Nov 3: The Bangladesh cricket team was forced to cancel its training session ahead of the World Cup clash against Sri Lanka due to extreme levels of air pollution in the national capital.
Bangladesh, who have been eliminated from the World Cup, arrived here on Wednesday following the defeat against Pakistan in Kolkata.
They were supposed to have their first training session on Friday evening but the team management decided against it considering the high pollution levels.
Delhi's air quality plummeted to the "severe plus" category on Friday even as the central government deferred the implementation of stricter measures under the air pollution control plan.
"Today we had a training session but the condition got bad from yesterday so we didn't take the chance because we still have two more days for training.
"Many( cricketers) went out yesterday and now they are having some kind of coughing so there is a risk factor involved and so we cancelled the training so that they don't get unwell," said team director Khaled Mahmud at the team hotel.
The last of the five World Cup games allotted to Delhi is scheduled for November 6.
Sri Lanka, whose players had to wear masks to combat air pollution in Delhi back in 2017, had played their World Cup game against India in Mumbai on Thursday. The following day is usually the travel day and the team doesn't train.
"We don't know what the decision will be (whether we will have to play here or not in the present condition) and whether the weather will get better or not and if it gets better certainly it is good for us and if that is not the case (and still we have to play) we still have to adapt to it and have to train tomorrow," said Mahmud.
"We still have two more days in our hand so we want the boys to be fully fit because these two games are very important for us," he added, referring to the Champions Trophy qualification scenario.
The top seven teams in the ongoing World Cup and hosts Pakistan will get to compete in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
On Friday, Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) reached 468, placing it in the "severe plus" category. This is the stage at which all emergency measures, including a ban on polluting trucks, commercial four-wheelers, and all types of construction, are mandated in Delhi-NCR.
The city's AQI on Friday was the worst since the previous high recorded on November 12, 2021.
However, during a review meeting, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) decided to monitor the situation for a day or more before implementing stricter curbs.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Chhattisgarh: Two killed, six injured in centring frame crash at under-construction building
Raipur, Jan 11: Two workers were killed and six others injured when a centring frame collapsed during the laying of a slab at an under-construction building in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur on Saturday, police said.
The incident occurred in Vishal Nagar area on VIP Road where a multi-storey building is being constructed, Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police Lakhan Patle told PTI.
As per preliminary information, a slab was being laid on 8th floor of the building around 3:30 PM when the centring frame crashed and fell on the ground, he said.
"Eight workers who were trapped under the debris of iron bars and construction material, were evacuated and admitted to different hospitals. Of them, two succumbed to injuries in the hospital," he said.
Police had earlier said 10 injured workers were injured in the incident.
Of the six injured, the condition of one is stated to be serious, Raipur Superintendent of Police Lal Umed Singh said.
Soon after being alerted, police and district administration personnel rushed to the spot and launched a rescue exercise wherein State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was later involved, he said.
As per information, no worker is trapped under the debris but more clarity will be had after the debris is cleared over the next few hours, the SP said.
The under-construction project belongs to a private real estate firm, which has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to kin of each of the deceased, officials said.
Pradyum, a labourer, said he was working on the ground floor when he heard a loud sound of metals falling to the ground.
"Some workers fell from the top where slab laying work was underway. Some workers who were at the ground got trapped under the debris. I and others present got involved in pulling them out," he said.
Meanwhile, some workers, on condition of anonymity, said the site did not have safety measures.
Queried about this aspect, SP Singh said a probe will be conducted into safety protocols and action will follow based on the findings.
