The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Delhi government over air pollution in the national capital, saying "lame excuses" would force it to hold an audit of earnings and expenditure on popularity slogans. The Supreme Court asked the Centre and states of the NCR region to consider working from home for the employees. Pollution levels have spiked in Delhi to alarming levels since the first week of November, with the air quality oscillating from "severe" to "very poor".