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On Tuesday morning citizens of this heavily contaminated metropolis were faced with inhaling severely hazardous air that was classified as the "severe" level.

Record-Breaking Pollution Measurements

Various sections of Delhi recorded an pollution measurement exceeding 500, which represents 10x the safe threshold established by the WHO.

In some locations, levels of dangerous airborne particles hit highs of 1,800, equating to 15-20x higher than safe levels.

Firecracker Ban and Recent Policy Shifts

Beginning in 2020, the government had maintained a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of fireworks during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the deadly smog that blankets the metropolis as the cold season sets in.

Nevertheless recently, the newly elected city government approached the highest court to request a relaxation of the restrictions.

The suggestion was allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – which have been questioned by environmental experts as being only roughly 30 percent lower impact – as a compromise between "cultural practices and public health".

Court Decision and Implementation

To the disappointment of public health and environmental activists, the court approved the appeal, stipulating that green firecrackers could be used during specific time windows throughout the celebrations.

On Monday night, there was widespread violation of the time restrictions across the city, with little regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the supposedly greener version.

Several air quality sensors throughout Delhi registered contamination spiking around the night hours to extremely hazardous readings recorded during celebrations in at least three years.

Cross-Border Consequences

The proliferation of pyrotechnics during Diwali also triggered a controversy with bordering the neighboring country, with representatives in Pakistani Punjab province pointing to worsening atmospheric conditions in Lahore on hazardous particles originating in neighboring India following the celebrations.

Long-Standing Pollution Crisis

Alarmingly severe levels of air contamination in Delhi have continued as a significant challenge for over a decade and a half, with the condition showing no improvement.

Around celebratory seasons, the concentration of toxic particulate matter in the atmosphere has been found to shoot up to 70% higher the worst levels ever documented in the Chinese city, which was previously regarded as the planet's dirtiest urban center.

Various Contamination Contributors

The situation in the capital is attributed to a mix of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, development work, rubbish burning and haze from crop residue ignition in neighbouring regions of farming communities.

In these regions, farmers routinely set their fields on fire to expedite field preparation, producing toxic pollution that becomes contained over the city as cooler air sets in.

Health and Economic Impact

Both financial and medical toll on the roughly thirty-three million people residing in the capital region is significant, according to multiple studies.

The contaminated air leads to increased incidence of nervous system, cardiovascular and breathing conditions, and can result in malignancies.

Environmental contamination is projected to be responsible for 10,000 early fatalities each year in the city.