Varanasi unholy air

One of my lasting memories of my trip to Varanasi four years ago is the poor quality of the air, with an almost constant fog over the city, fed by open air fires everywhere and aggressive vehicle exhaust, rather than by the few cremation pyres by the Ganges… I read today in The Guardian that the city actually ranks worst in India for its air quality. (I also read in that article that Gwalior had similar issues, although I remember a pleasant walk around the fort there, in the sun. Presumably on one of the few “good” air quality days.) Not that Paris is doing great in the past days, with a whole week of ineffective driving restrictions that left wood heating operating at full blast. I did not feel the air difference while biking, but I presume the impact of the micro-particles central to those pollution alerts is more long-term!