Goooglenews

The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority Supreme Court mandated body on Friday declared a public health emergency in the Delhi-NCR region and banned construction activity till November

in view of deteriorating air pollution in Delying adverse health impact on all, particularly children.

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.

Meanwhile, the BCCI said it would carry on with the India-Bangladesh T20 at the Feroz Shah Kotla grounds on Sunday, disregarding concerns raised by environmentalists about the health of players and thousands of spectators.

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.

The blanket of haze over Delhi thickened on Friday morning with the national capital’s pollution levels increasing overnight by around 50 points, taking the overall air quality index to 459.

If the air quality persists in the “severe plus” category for more than 48 hours, emergency measures such as odd-even car rationing scheme, banning entry of trucks, construction activities and shutting down schools are taken under the Graded Response Action Plan, say authorities.