EPCA declares public health emergency in Delhi-NCR

A Supreme Court-mandated panel on Friday declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region and banned construction activity till November 5. As the 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 an adverse health impact on all, particularly our children," he said in the letter.