India, Oct. 24 -- The day after Diwali, Delhi's skies wore their usual grey coat of smog: AQI soaring to a choking 451. But amid the gloom, a few patches of green are beginning to grow. Across the city, nurseries are giving away free saplings, urging residents to fight pollution with one plant at a time.

Nurseries, across the NCR, are quietly fuelling a green counter-revolution. The idea is simple: if the air is toxic, plant your way out of it!

"We've realised Delhi can't depend on purifiers alone," says Ashok from a nursery near Sarai Kale Khan, which has been distributing free saplings through the 'Dilli Free Tree' drive. Ashok adds, "Anyone can register online and collect up to 100 saplings, and we're already seeing over 300 sign-ups...