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.

Delhi faced a severe environmental crisis as the AQI hit hazardous levels in multiple areas. In response, the Delhi Police enforced vehicle checks and a ban on older diesel vehicles to combat air pollution,