Every year when winter arrives, India's capital region is choked by smog and smoke. However, seasonal crop burning fires in neighboring states of Punjab and Haryana add to Delhi's air pollution. Unlike Mumbai,

Whatever the causes of the smog, by one ranking Delhi was not just the most polluted city in the world, but “nearly five times as bad as the second most polluted city, Dhaka,” in Bangladesh next door, as Shashi Tharoor, a leader of the opposition in Parliament and best-selling author, posted on X.

Hundreds of millions of Indians breathe some of the world’s most toxic air all year round. Air pollution in the capital area that’s home to about 30 million people is especially stubborn. In winter, the cold weather actually makes the smog even worse — and potent.

Unhealthy

A thick, toxic smog has enveloped India's capital, home to more than 33 million people. One technology firm which monitors air pollution ranked New Delhi as the most polluted city in the world.

India's capital was left gasping this week as air pollution smog reduced visibility to near zero and raised air quality levels more than 130 times safe limits.

A suffocating haze of toxic smog in New Delhi will prevent Charlotte de Witte from performing as the city cracks down to halt further environmental damage. The techno superstar's Sunburn Arena performance, which was scheduled for this weekend, has officially been cancelled as the city grapples with the toxic air conditions.

New Delhi's air quality has plummeted to alarming levels, with smog significantly reducing visibility and pushing the AQI above 450. Stubble burning, traffic, and industrial emissions are blamed.

The AQI in Delhi remained in the severe category from Monday to Wednesday last week and thereafter witnessed slight improvement on Thursday and Friday. However, it deteriorated to the severe category on Saturday.