Every year, Delhi and northern states battle hazardous air during the winter months of October to January due to plummeting temperatures, smoke, dust, low wind speed, vehicular emissions and crop stubble burning. This time, experts say that the condition is likely to get worse in the coming days.

Pregnant women who live in polluted environments are more likely to experience preterm labor, which raises the risk of low birth weight, undeveloped lungs, and infant mortality during or after birth.

A study published in June found that air pollution killed 135 million people over the last four decades around the world, with India and China accounting for the bulk of the fatalities. In 2023, Delhi’s AQI was recorded between 445 and 520 just a day after Diwali, placing it firmly in the “severe” category.

Nearly half the families in and around Delhi have sought medical help for respiratory ailments connected to severe pollution engulfing the capital, according to a new survey.