In photos: As chill sets in, winter's 1st dense fog engulfs Punjab, Chandigarh

A dense layer of smog shrouded Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana on Wednesday morning, sharply reducing visibility as the air quality plunged to "very poor" levels.

The thick smog, accompanied by moderate fog and mist, caused poor visibility in the early hours. People and students going to school were seen in their winter clothes reflecting the dip in temperature.

Also, stubble burning has fueled Punjab's air pollution crisis and health risks.

Experts anticipate the hazy conditions would persist into the evening, posing heightened health risks for residents, particularly those with respiratory concerns.

Below are a few pictures by Tribune photographers, including Pradeep Tewar/Chandigarh;  Mukesh Aggarwal/Delhi; Vishal Kumar/Amritsar and Himanshu Mahajan/Ludhiana.