Pollution levels in Chandigarh - India's first planned city, located about 240km (150 miles) from capital Delhi - have been at more than 15 times the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for more than a month. It is now common for air quality in the city to dip every winter, but Mr Ali says he has never felt so sick before.

Residents in India's northern states woke up to another day of poor air quality on Tuesday, as a layer of dense fog shrouded most of the region, and pollution in the capital Delhi remained severe. India battles air pollution every winter as cold,

Toxic smog engulfed much of northern India on Monday and pollution readings in New Delhi hit their highest of this pre-winter season.

Northern India, particularly Delhi, faces severe air pollution as dense fog and emissions render the air dangerous to breathe. With AQI peaking at 491, the government imposed restrictions on vehicles and construction.

Experts said even though winds were predominantly calm on Saturday, they picked up late in the evening, with similarly strong winds recorded on Sunday.