Toxic smog blankets New Delhi plunging air quality to hazardous levels

More than 40 flights were cancelled and several dozens delayed. Over 50 trains arriving and departing from New Delhi were delayed by several hours, authorities said.

New Delhi’s air pollution levels have remained at what the federal government calls a “severe” level for the last two days, which the government says can cause respiratory effects to healthy people and seriously affect the health of people with heart or lung disease.

The hazardous air quality has prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management, or CAQM, to invoke Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan, the strictest emergency measures to control pollution.