For most of November, the Indian capital New Delhi has been smothered in air pollution that has reached 10 times the level considered dangerous by the World Health Organization. While vehicle emissions and industrial pollution are major culprits, the Central Pollution Control Board also blames dust storms in “West Asia,” known elsewhere as the Middle East. The board has asked the India Meteorological Department to develop a warning system that can predict when air quality in New Delhi will plummet.
