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Residents in the capital have been waking up in recent weeks to
hazy mornings with the sky a shade of grey.
A thick layer of smog envelops the city in winter as cold, heavy
air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from
crop stubble burning in neighbouring states, causing a surge in
respiratory illnesses among its 20 million people.
The air quality index in nearly all monitoring stations in the
city was between 300 to 400 or in the "very poor" category on
Monday, which experts say leads to respiratory illness on
prolonged exposure.
However it was an improvement on last week's reading of 400-500
in the index, which is described as "severe".
"Directions for work from home amended and offices functioning
at full capacity from today," Delhi state environment minister
Gopal Rai told reporters.
Primary schools will reopen on Wednesday.
The central and state governments ordered the closure of primary
schools, banned the entry of diesel vehicles carrying
non-essential goods and suspended most construction and
demolition activity in the national capital region last week.
Rai said private demolition and construction will still remain
banned, but public works relating to highways and power
transmission will be permitted.
Air quality could worsen later this week, however, the System of
Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research said on its
website.
(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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