Bhubaneswar, Dec. 13 -- Delhi once again woke up under a thick blanket of toxic air as pollution levels surged to alarming levels, forcing authorities to activate the strictest emergency measures. With the Air Quality Index sliding deeper into the 'Severe+' category, officials have moved swiftly to curb emissions and protect public health across the National Capital Region.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR on Saturday, just hours after Stage-III restrictions were enforced. Official data showed the AQI worsening from 431 in the afternoon to 441 by evening, signalling a sharp and concerning trend.

According to CAQM, unfavourable meteorological cond...