Thiruvananthapuram: For the last one week, Delhi has been reeling under severe pollution, following which Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) said that private cars will be stopped from plying in the capital if air pollution doesn’t improve. 

However, it is not just north India, including Lucknow and Kanpur, that is facing severe pollution issue. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) show that there are several cities in both north and south that have recorded a deteriorating air quality.

According to CPCB’s daily AQI bulletin, 70 cities have not breathed “good quality air” from October 22 to 29. Last week, air quality in southern cities like Thiruvananthapuram, Chikkaballapur and Tirupati declined from “good” to “satisfactory and moderate”.

The CPCB's advisory even warns that satisfactory and moderate air quality can have an adverse effect on health, especially that of pregnant women, children and elderly people. 

Coming back to the national capital, the falling air quality in has pressed the panic button with the state government and Centre running to adopt measures to get some relief. 

On Saturday, the air pollution level dipped slightly but remained in the 'very poor' category, authorities said.
Meanwhile, Delhi authorities have stepped up efforts to combat pollution which includes measures like a halt in construction activities and traffic regulations.

There is a halt on all construction activities involving excavation. Civil construction has also been suspended in Delhi and other NCR districts, besides closure of all stone crushers and hot mix plants generating dust pollution.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also directed the Transport Department and the Traffic Police to intensify checking of polluting vehicles and control travel congestion in the region during November 1-10.