New Delhi, Nov. 12 -- Every year, as temperatures fall, Delhi's air turns hazardous and hospitals see a surge in patients struggling to breathe. Schools close and emergency curbs kick in, but the respite is temporary. Then the cycle begins again.

The health toll, meanwhile, is mounting. Fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, penetrates deep into the lungs and can enter the bloodstream, putting even healthy people at risk of harm beyond the respiratory system.

The concern is what repeated exposure to toxic air is doing to a generation growing up in Delhi. Mint explains.

Pulmonologists across the National Capital Region (NCR) have reported a surge in hospital visits as air quality worsens. Outpatient departments (OPDs) are treating...