Bathinda, Punjab, just hit an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 1,048, making it the most polluted city in the world right now. That's much higher than Meerut (680) and Sirsa (636).
Unlike the usual post-Diwali smog, this spike isn't about firecrackers; it's mostly linked to farming methods.
Farmers burning paddy stubble in Punjab
The main culprit? Farmers burning leftover paddy stubble to prep fields for new crops, which sends loads of smoke into the air.
On November 8 alone, Punjab saw 1,152 farm fires, 132 in Bathinda alone.
Light winds and chilly weather are trapping all that pollution close to the ground, making it even harder for people there to catch a breath.