North India suffocates: Overrun hospitals, empty malls, cancelled flights — NCR under siege

North India, including Delhi-NCR, faced severe air pollution on Monday, with AQI levels reaching 500, triggering health emergencies, school closures, and work-from-home advisories. Hospitals reported a surge in heart attacks and asthma cases due to toxic air quality. Major cities like Patna, Lucknow, and Chandigarh also experienced hazardous air. The Delhi government imposed stage 4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan, grounding flights and affecting daily life.