Schools and plants close as Indian capital is smothered by smog

Motorists drive amidst morning haze and smog in New Delhi, India (Manish Swarup/AP)

Schools were closed indefinitely and some coal-based power plants shut down as the smog-shrouded Indian capital and neighbouring states invoked harsh measures on Wednesday to combat worsening air pollution after an order from the federal environment ministry.

The measures come as India’s top court is deliberating whether New Delhi should go into a lockdown as a blanket of thick, grey smog continued to surround the city, particularly in the mornings.