On Thursday morning, a toxic haze was covering most parts of the city. The government's air quality monitors showed that concentration of PM2.5 - dangerous tiny pollutants in the air - had crossed 500 in many places. As concerns over pollution grew on Wednesday, the Delhi government issued an appeal to people in the city to work from home and carpool to reduce traffic fumes. It has also banned construction temporarily. The capital usually witnesses a spike in air pollution after the Diwali festival - often marked by bursting firecrackers - every year. But this year, favourable weather conditions helped keep air quality at relatively better levels. It also triggered a political blame game. Federal environment minister Bhupender Yadav accused the AAP - which is also in power in Punjab - of not properly utilising funds allocated for machines to clear crop residue.
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