New Delhi shuts schools and limits construction work to reduce severe air pollution

By ASHOK SHARMA and PIYUSH NAGPAL
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — New Delhi’s government has shut primary schools and banned polluting vehicles and construction work in an attempt to reduce the worst haze and smog of the season. Authorities deployed water sprinklers and anti-smog guns to control the haze that enveloped high-rise buildings around the Indian capital on Friday. Many people used masks to escape the air pollution that can cause respiratory problems. The city government announced a fine of 20,000 rupees ($240) for drivers found using gasoline and diesel cars, buses and trucks that create smog, typically models 10 to 15 years old. The state-run Central Pollution Control Board says the air quality index reached a severe level for tiny particulate matter.