Delhi pollution severe: Schools closed for 2 days; construction ban, car curbs in place

Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Faridabad choke on pollution as the air quality worsens with stubble burning increasing in Punjab and Haryana.An air emergency was declared in the National Capital on Thursday with its air quality index nosediving into 'severe' days ahead of Diwali. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that in light of the rising pollution levels, all government and primary schools in Delhi will remain closed on Friday and Saturday. The Delhi government imposed a ban on non-essential construction activities and on the plying of BS-3 petrol and BS-4 diesel cars in Delhi Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar. On Friday morning, the overall AQI in Delhi was in ‘severe’ category with Lodhi Road area at 438, Jahangirpuri at 491, RK Puram area at 486 and around IGI Airport (T3) 473