Live updates: Delhi wakes up from its nightmare, for now

Even as the schools stand shut for students due to air pollution touching apocalyptic levels, at least 100 concerned mothers got on the roads and marched towards Prime Minister’s residence on Saturday, demanding strict action to curb the menace of rising pollution levels. Children as young as five years accompanied their mothers, asking for steps to ensure their future. However, they had to walk back disappointed after they got to know that the Prime Minster is in Thailand. The concerned mothers came together in a similar manner a few years ago, demanding schools be shut because of the heavy pollution.

With an aim to combat air pollution, Delhi government's odd-even scheme was launched in the national capital on Monday with common citizens giving a mix response over the scheme. Many commuters on the road supported the scheme but also urged the government to take better and more stringent steps to combat the menace throughout the year.

Delhi government's odd-even scheme has come into implementation from 8am on Monday morning with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal urging all citizens to use carpooling in order to control the deteriorating air quality in the national capital.

Shivam Das’ four-year-old son doesn’t have any history of respiratory illness. But for the past week, he has had to use a nebuliser — a machine that helps you breathe in a medicine as a mist through a mask or mouthpiece to clear the airways — at least thrice a day. His neighbour’s daughter, all of 13, went to the park on Saturday to play with other children. She came back complaining of nausea and her parents said the girl hadn’t stopped vomiting since.

As the heavens opened up on Saturday, little did people know that its effect would be the exact opposite of what they were for hoping for. While the showers did bring down pollution levels briefly, by evening, it had started to rise — owing to the increased moisture content in the air.

According to the data provided by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), major pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 were docked at 500. In the Lodhi Road area, Air Quality Index (PM 2.5) was measured at 703, Delhi University's level was at 695 while in Dhirpur, the number was 676. Also, in Gurugram, the AQI had crossed the 800 mark.

Over 40% residents of Delhi-NCR want to move to another city because of bad air quality while 16% want to travel during the period, according to a new survey. The survey with over 17,000 respondents from NCR has found that 13% of residents believe they have no option but to cope with the rising pollution levels.

People in Delhi-NCR woke up to a Sunday morning that made them shudder — a grey, opaque and overwhelming smog hung in the air and the city’s vast landscape had disappeared under its sweep. This is what doomsday could look like. If it seemed too dangerous to step outside because the acrid air almost immediately scorched nostrils and stung eyes, staying indoors gave the feeling that something toxic was burning.