New Delhi, Dec. 4 -- India's worsening air pollution has prompted a group of Padma awardee doctors to issue an urgent national health advisory, warning that the country is facing a "significant public health emergency" as air quality dips to alarming levels across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and several other regions.

The advisory highlights mounting health risks for all age groups, especially children, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with heart or lung diseases.

Signed by more than 80 eminent medical experts, the advisory stresses that clean air is a basic human necessity and urgent collective action is vital to protect public health.

The doctors caution that toxic air is triggering severe respiratory problems, increasing asthma atta...