As air quality in the Indian capital region worsened to the "very poor" category, the federal government implemented restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-II in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) on Sunday, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

The decision came following an emergency review meeting triggered by a continuous rise in pollution levels throughout the day. Authorities warned that urgent action was necessary to protect public health.

Delhi-NCR is a vast metropolitan area encompassing the entire National Capital Territory of Delhi, along with neighboring districts from the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi showed a steady upward trend, reaching 296 at 4 p.m. and worsening to 302 by 7 p.m. local time, indicating very poor air quality. According to forecasts from the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, pollution levels are expected to deteriorate further over the coming days, as stated in the official order from the Commission for Air Quality Management.

“The Sub-Committee has decided to invoke all measures under Stage-II (Very Poor Air Quality) of the current GRAP across the entire NCR immediately, in addition to the Stage-I actions already in place,” the order read.

Among the measures under Stage-II are restrictions on construction activities, closure of schools for vulnerable groups, bans on diesel generator usage except for essential services, and stricter controls on vehicular emissions.

Experts warn that the combination of seasonal weather conditions, crop residue burning in nearby states, and increased vehicular emissions is contributing to this sharp decline in air quality, raising urgent concerns for millions of residents in the region.

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