New Delhi’s air still ‘very poor’ despite emergency measures

NEW DELHI (AP) — Air pollution remains extremely high in the Indian capital a day after authorities closed schools indefinitely and shut some power stations to reduce smog that has blanketed the city for much of the month. On Thursday, New Delhi’s air quality was in the “very poor” category. The annual winter spike in air pollution has seen the concentration of tiny airborne particles soar to nearly 15 times the level deemed safe on many days in November. The city of 20 million is one of the world’s most polluted and air quality often hits hazardous levels during the winter. Forecasters warn that pollution is likely to get worse in the coming days.