Smog returns to India’s capital New Delhi as winds drop and crops burn

After months of relatively clear skies brought on by pandemic lockdowns, air quality in India’s capital New Delhi deteriorated sharply in early October 2020. The poor air quality was reportedly caused by a combination of slower wind speeds and the burning of crop waste. Many farmers burn straw left in their fields after the harvest, speeding up preparation for their next planting, but also sending smoke billowing across northern areas of the country.