NEW DELHI, India: A dense grey haze blanketed New Delhi on November 10, choking the city's skyline and sending pollution levels soaring to "severe" levels, and, in a public outcry, driving hundreds of residents onto the streets to demand government action.

By morning, the capital's air quality index reached 344, more than 20 times higher than the World Health Organization's safe limit. Many residents complained of headaches, sore throats, and burning eyes as toxic air gripped one of the world's most polluted cities.

Late on November 9, parents, students, and environmental activists gathered at India Gate, some holding banners reading "I miss breathing." Most wore masks and carried air purifiers or placards calling for immediate action.

"I am here just as a citizen who cares and who is worried about the lack of clean air to breathe," said Meghna, one of the protesters. Police soon confiscated placards and dispersed the crowd, saying the demonstration lacked prior permission.

Each winter, Delhi becomes the epicenter of India's air pollution crisis, and this year's haze has triggered unusual public anger. Many accuse officials of offering short-term fixes while trading blame between state and federal agencies.

"Every year it's the same," said one protester. "They shut down schools, ban construction for a few days, and pretend it's solved."

India has six of the world's ten most polluted cities, according to the Swiss air-monitoring group IQAir, and New Delhi remains the most polluted capital globally. Home to more than 30 million people, the city regularly records hazardous air quality between October and January, when crop-burning in neighboring states combines with vehicle exhaust, factory smoke, and cooler air that traps pollutants close to the ground.

Authorities have temporarily banned construction, restricted diesel generators, and even attempted cloud seeding to induce artificial rain. But critics say these measures do little to address the deeper problem, an overreliance on fossil fuels, weak enforcement, and unchecked urban growth.

Pollution spikes also worsen after Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, when fireworks add to the toxic mix. Though the government had urged restraint this year, the impact was visible across the city's skyline.

Experts say the only lasting solution lies in cutting emissions and improving public transport, not just imposing bans during smog season.

"Unless long-term strategies are implemented, Delhi's winter air will remain a recurring disaster," said one environmental researcher.

As protesters were forced to disperse, the air hung thick and sour. "We're just asking to breathe," Meghna said quietly. "That shouldn't be too much to ask."