At the India Gate on a smoggy day in Delhi. Reuters
The winter is yet to settle in, but Delhi is already choking with pollution - the fifth largest killer in India. In October, the pollution was four times the normal level.
The crowds in the city's hospitals and clinics have gone up by around 30% - most of the patients are children and senior citizens.
Dr Vivek Nangia, Director of Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, says most people don't understand that air pollution can cause lung cancer, brain hemorrhage and stroke.
Ahead of Diwali, in August, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung signed some short-term measures to contain air pollution. These include regulating entry and exit of non-Delhi cars, stricter pollution control norms for vehicles and changing parking policy to create "no tolerance zones" for pollution. But without any proper action plan, there has been no proper implementation, let alone effect.
The Capital has 75 lakh vehicles, and the number increases by 1,400 every day. At peak hours, there are 17 lakh vehicles on the road.
"There is no concrete action plan yet. This is no time for soft options, this is time to talk tough like other cities and crack down with stringent actions," said Anumito Roychoudhary from the Centre for Science and Environment.
When it comes to pollution control, Beijing, once the most polluted city in the world, has set a benchmark. Awareness in the city has become so widespread, that at a recent fashion week, designers had included face masks as part of their collection.
For now, the doctors have some advice, especially for seniors and people who have asthma: Avoid morning walks, go later in the day when the haze lifts; wear face masks and avoid rush hour traffic.