Delhi's air quality 'severe' due to dust storm in western India

A thick blanket of haze enveloped Delhi and parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) with the Environment Ministry on Wednesday predicting that the dusty conditions, a fallout of dust storms from Rajasthan, were likely to prevail over the next three days.

High pollution levels in Delhi are mainly due to the dust storms from the desert state, the ministry said after air quality in the national capital deteriorated beyond "severe" level on Wednesday.

It has also alerted major construction agencies, municipal corporations and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to ensure water sprinkling, and asked Delhi's Chief Secretary to issue appropriate instructions in the matter to the agencies concerned.