Delhi-NCR residents woke up on Sunday with AQI.in, a private website, pegging the air quality index (AQI) at 559. In contrast, the Air Quality Early Warning and Decision Support System reported a significantly lower reading of 380, still in the “very poor” category. Amid a public outcry on social media, an Indian tech professional living in London has urged people to move out of Delhi, warning that the capital’s deteriorating air quality is becoming unbearable.

After a brief visit, Kunal Kushwaha said he struggled to breathe and advised residents to relocate, even if it meant incurring debt. In a post, he urged Delhi residents to prioritise their health over everything else, writing, “Leave Delhi, go in debt if you have to.”

Kushwaha emphasised that he had misjudged the severity of the

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