New Delhi, Dec 4: With pollution in the national capital turning severe on Sunday, the Centre's air quality panel directed authorities in the Delhi-NCR to ban non-essential construction work in the region under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Delhi's 24-hour average air quality index stood at 407 at 4 pm on Sunday. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. Delhi Air Pollution: Diesel LMVs Banned in NCR; Emergency Vehicles .

The pollution level in Delhi entered the 'severe' category after November 4, when the AQI was 447.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had directed authorities on November 14 to revoke the curbs enforced in the Delhi-NCR under stage III of GRAP, including a ban on non-essential construction activities.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)