Delhi Pollution: Residents Complain of Eye Irritation Due to 'Gas Chamber' Conditions in National Capital

Schools were closed and non-essential construction was banned as the air quality index in the city reached almost 500, 100 times the limit deemed to be healthy by the World Health Organisation.

Air quality in Delhi had worsened over the last week, attributed to a dramatic rise to stubble burning by farmers in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, as well as winds that brought the pollutants into the capital and a decrease in temperatures keeping the particles trapped.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced late Thursday that all primary schools would be closed across the capital for at least two days.

Many of the capital's 33 million residents complained of irritation to eyes and itchy throats as the air turned a dense grey, Daily Mail reported.

Doctors in the city said they had started to notice the damaging impact of pollution on the capital's residents.

Delhi is regularly ranked the most polluted city in the world.

Smoke from farmers burning crop stubble, vehicle exhaust and factory emissions combine every winter to blanket Delhi in a choking haze.

According to this year's air quality life index, compiled by the University of Chicago's energy policy institute, the people of Delhi could have their lives shortened by 11.9 years due to the poor air they breathe, Daily Mail reported.

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The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.