New Delhi, Nov. 15 -- Breathing Delhi's polluted air is now comparable to smoking 12.5 cigarettes every day. The alarming estimate comes as the national capital battles another severe pollution crisis. According to AQI.in, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 511 on Sunday morning. The reading was recorded on November 15 at 7:11 AM. The pollution level falls under the hazardous category, posing serious health risks.

AQI.in estimates that Delhi's pollution exposure is equivalent to smoking 87.5 cigarettes weekly. The monthly equivalent stands at 375 cigarettes.

However, these figures represent estimated exposure to pollution, not the actual effects of smoking. The calculation uses average PM2.5 concentrations over the previous 24 hour...