Amid a surge of air pollution in New Delhi, India, the city government faces criticism for allegedly manipulating air quality data.

Videos showing water sprinklers being used near air quality monitors to artificially lower readings have gone viral. While officials have denied that manipulating data is possible, experts have raised concerns over the techniques used.

Vehicular emissions, stubble burning and geographical factors are cited as major contributors to the capital's current smog levels.

This time of year also sees a rise in the number of patients visiting hospitals for respiratory illnesses. One in seven deaths in Delhi in 2023 was linked to polluted air, claiming more lives than high blood pressure,  diabetes or obesity, according to a recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.