Delhi continues to battle severe air pollution, with the air quality index (AQI) remaining in the “severe” category for the third consecutive day. The AQI stands at 498, making Delhi the world’s second most polluted city, behind Lahore, Pakistan, which recorded an AQI of 770 at 7 am, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.

Every year, Delhi and northern states battle hazardous air during the winter months of October to January due to plummeting temperatures, smoke, dust, low wind speed, vehicular emissions and crop stubble burning. This time, experts say that the condition is likely to get worse in the coming days.

Executive failure means the court has stepped in to try and control pollution in the capital. But is it the correct instrument for the problem at hand?