Breeze clears some pollution from Indian capital but air still hazardous

The air quality in the Indian capital, New Delhi, improved slightly on Tuesday as the wind picked up to blow away some of the pollution shrouding the city for days. But the air remained at the "hazardous" level in the teeming capital of more than 20 million people, more than five times the recommended safe limit of 60.The capital is restricting use of private cars until Nov. 15 with an "odd-even" system, allowing cars to use roads on alternate days, depending on whether their licence plate ends in an odd or even number.

The city, which has declared a public health emergency, also shut schools on Monday and Tuesday, and banned construction and cracked down on the burning of rubbish. Every year at this time, farmers in Punjab and Haryana states start burning off the rice field stubble in preparation for the sowing season. The smoke from fields combines with pollution from vehicles and industry to make Delhi the world's most-polluted capital.