New Delhi, India starts even/odd vehicle number plate driving restrictions today

This article makes it look less bad than others.

air quality index for New Delhi was “severe” at 436, about nine times the recommended maximum.

BBC reports:

the city's pollution monitors did not have enough digits to accurately record pollution levels [...] officials declared a public health emergency and Mr Kejriwal likened the city to a "gas chamber"

Air pollution in New Delhi and northern Indian states peaks in the winter as farmers in neighboring agricultural regions set fire to clear land after the harvest and prepare for the next crop season. The pollution in the Indian capital also peaks after Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of light, when people set off fireworks.

I have a thought about what might be causing such horrible air quality and I don't think it's the cars.

On top of that, the ashes from burning things will increase the acidity of the soil and require ways to treat it to lower it to where crops will grow. Maybe... just maybe there's a better way to handle that.

I swear, common sense and foresight are so rare that they should be classified as super powers.