Dense smog in Delhi 

Extremely dangerous amounts of smog blanketed Delhi, in northern India, for more than a week in November, with smog levels reaching about 30 times the safe level as determined by the World Health Organization. The levels of particulates under 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) were peaking at around 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter. (Breathing in such a concentration of particulates is similar to smoking 44 cigarettes a day, according to an independent environmental research group.)

Air quality in Delhi regularly worsens in autumn, when nearby farmers burn their fields in preparation for planting new crops.

Doctors declared the smog a “medical emergency,” as hospitals in the city reported a 20% rise in patients complaining about pollution-caused symptoms, such as shortness of breath and stinging eyes.

To help combat the pollution, on Nov. 7 Delhi enacted certain restrictions, including a ban on construction and preventing trucks from entering the city, plus an increase in parking fees in order to encourage the use of public transportation. Most of the restrictions were lifted on Nov. 16 when the pollution level was downgraded from “severe” to “very poor.”

It is estimated that 2.5 million people die prematurely in India each year due to complications resulting from pollution, the highest toll of any country in the world.