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As Tuesday dawned citizens of the world's most polluted city were faced with breathing extremely polluted air that registered in the "severe" level.

Record-Breaking Air Quality Readings

Various sections of the capital recorded an pollution measurement over 500, which represents a tenfold increase over the healthy threshold recommended by the World Health Organization.

Particular areas, readings of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1,800, representing fifteen to twenty times higher than acceptable levels.

Firecracker Restrictions and Recent Policy Shifts

For the past four years, authorities had implemented a complete ban on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during the Festival of Lights due to their significant contribution to the deadly pollution that covers the city as the cold season sets in.

Yet recently, the recently formed regional administration petitioned the judicial authority to seek a modification of the prohibition.

They proposed allowing "green crackers" – historically criticized by conservation groups as being only about 30% lower impact – as a middle ground between "cultural practices and ecological concerns".

Court Decision and Enforcement

Despite concerns of medical and ecological advocates, judges agreed to the request, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during specific hours throughout the Diwali.

During the celebrations, there was widespread disregard of the designated hours across the city, with little monitoring regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the eco-friendly variety.

Several recording stations throughout the capital showed air quality peaking around midnight to extremely hazardous readings observed during celebrations in at least recent memory.

Cross-Border Effects

The widespread use of fireworks during the celebrations also triggered a dispute with neighbouring Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistani Punjab partially attributing declining air quality in the city of Lahore on hazardous particles traveling from India following the celebrations.

Long-Standing Environmental Problem

Extremely elevated levels of air contamination in the city have persisted as a major problem for over a decade and a half, with the problem continuing to worsen.

Around celebratory seasons, the concentration of toxic particles in the environment has been observed to increase dramatically to 70% higher the worst levels ever documented in the Chinese city, which was once regarded as the globally most contaminated urban center.

Various Pollution Sources

The situation in the capital is resulting from a convergence of multiple factors including transportation pollution, dust, construction activities, rubbish burning and smoke from agricultural fires in neighbouring regions of farming communities.

Throughout these areas, rural residents regularly burn crop residue to expedite field preparation, producing hazardous haze that then gets trapped over the metropolitan area as winter air arrives.

Public Health and Financial Impact

Public health and economic impact on the approximately 33 million inhabitants residing in the Delhi area is significant, according to numerous studies.

The contaminated air results in elevated rates of neurological, heart and circulatory and respiratory conditions, and can result in oncological diseases.

Environmental contamination is projected to be responsible for ten thousand untimely mortalities per year in the city.