Air quality has worsened across northern India and adjacent parts of Pakistan in recent years, as industrial pollutants, smoke from seasonal crop burn-off, and colder winter temperatures coalesce into toxic smog.
The move comes after India led the charge at the weekend to weaken anti-coal pledges at the UN COP26 climate summit, with critics saying it prioritised economic growth over the planet's future. "Anti-smog guns" -- which spray mist into the air -- and water sprinklers were ordered to operate at pollution hotspots at least three times a day.
"Children are experiencing breathing diseases... for God's sake, find a solution," labourer Muhammad Saeed told AFP.
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