Delhi smog: EPCA declares public health emergency, schools shut till Nov 5

A Supreme Court mandated panel on Friday declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region and banned construction activity till November 5.

This was soon followed by an announcement by the education department of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) that  581 schools under the civic body would be shut till November 5 due to "prevailing poor air quality".

As pollution level in the region entered the "severe plus" category, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority also banned the bursting of crackers during the winter season.

The air quality in Delhi-NCR deteriorated further Thursday night and is now at the severe plus level, EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said in a letter to the chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

"We have to take this as a public health emergency as air pollution will have adverse health impact on all, particularly our children," he said in the letter.