New Delhi recorded over 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illnesses at six state-run hospitals between 2022 and 2024, according to government data, underscoring the harmful impact of toxic air on public health.

India carried out a cloud seeding trial flight over New Delhi this week to tackle worsening air pollution, as smog linked to Diwali celebrations pushes the capital’s air quality into the “very poor” range, officials said.