Earth Hour during Indo-Pak match: Celebs will switch off, but will you?

On March 19, half way through the India vs Pakistan T20 cricket match, game lovers might observe Earth Hour by switching off the lights but the TV screens will glow bright!

Cricket lovers and environment enthusiasts are caught in a unique dharam sankat! Earth Hour, which is observed by switching off of lights, for an hour between 8.30pm-9.30pm, falls on March 19, the same day that the Indo-Pak T20 match is being telecast from 7.30pm.

On March 19, half way through the India vs Pakistan T20 cricket match, game lovers might observe Earth Hour by switching off the lights but the TV screens will glow bright! Earth Hour will be observed on March 19 from 8.30 to 9.30pm IST.

Celebrities are urging people to observe Earth Hour by watching the match together on a single screen with friends and families, around neighbourhoods. Actor Amitabh Bahchan has tweeted: “Support #EarthHour2016, watch #IndVSPak with friends on one screen, join campaign Together vs ClimateChange.”

Amitabh Bachchan’s Tweet:

Actor Adil Hussain seconds the thought of everyone watching the match together in neighbourhoods and adds, “When we can see Oscars in the recorded format then why not a cricket match? I will definitely watch a recorded version of the match in such a scenario.”

Read: Switch off for Earth Hour today, save energy

Singer Vishal Dadlani also supports the cause. He says, “I fully support Mr B’s call for families to watch the match on one screen. In fact, let’s take it further and get together with friends and neighbours to watch it together. This will save electricity and build community. Plus, it’s fun! Observe Earth Hour. The world needs us to care, now, more than ever.”

Actor Divya Dutta says watching it together serves both purposes, “One would want to be sensitive towards the environment and enjoy the game as well.” While actor Rajeev Khandelwal advices, “If we have to choose between saving the earth and watching a match, I would say please save the earth. I think everyone is aware of it, but let us make it exciting and join hands and watch it together.”

Read: Iconic landmarks world over go dark for Earth Hour 2014

While some restaurants are taking this route to urge people to switch off the lights, others will be dimming their lights. “We are not forgetting the significance of Earth Hour . For about 10 minutes we will dim the lights and switch off the music while the screen will be on,” says Priyank Sukhija, a restaurateur. Akshay Anand, another restaurateur, adds, “We will not be switching off the lights as that is not possible but we are holding a screening at our restaurant so that people turn off the lights at their homes and come and watch the match.”

Let’s wait and watch what happens on March 19 as the clock strikes 8.30pm!