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As Tuesday dawned inhabitants of the world's most polluted city found themselves breathing dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "critical" level.

Record-Breaking Pollution Readings

Various sections of Delhi registered an pollution measurement over 500, which equals ten times the healthy threshold set by the WHO.

In some locations, levels of PM2.5 and PM10 soared to of 1800, amounting to 15 to 20 times higher than healthy levels.

Firecracker Restrictions and New Changes

Beginning in 2020, the government had enforced a total prohibition on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during the Festival of Lights due to their significant contribution to the deadly haze that covers the metropolis as the cold season begins.

However in recent months, the recently formed local administration appealed to the highest court to seek a relaxation of the prohibition.

They proposed allowing "green crackers" – previously criticized by conservation groups as being only about 30% reduced emissions – as a balance between "tradition and environment".

Court Decision and Implementation

Despite concerns of medical and ecological campaigners, judicial authorities agreed to the request, specifying that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be ignited during designated time windows throughout the festival.

Throughout the festival evening, there was widespread disregard of the designated hours across the metropolis, with minimal regulation regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the more environmentally friendly type.

Several air quality sensors throughout the capital recorded contamination reaching highest levels around midnight to some of the worst readings recorded during Diwali in at least recent memory.

International Effects

The widespread use of fireworks during Diwali also sparked a blame game with bordering Pakistan, with authorities in Pakistan's the Punjab region pointing to worsening pollution levels in their urban centers on contaminants traveling from across the border following the festivities.

Persistent Pollution Crisis

The dangerously high levels of pollution in the city have persisted as a major challenge for fifteen-plus years, with the problem continuing to worsen.

During Diwali, the amount of toxic particles in the atmosphere has been observed to increase dramatically to 70% higher the peak levels ever measured in China's capital, which was once regarded as the world's most polluted metropolis.

Multiple Pollution Contributors

The situation in the capital is caused by a mix of different contributors including automobile exhaust, airborne particles, development work, waste incineration and haze from agricultural fires in nearby states of neighboring agricultural zones.

Within these states, rural residents routinely ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, generating toxic smog that then gets trapped over the metropolitan area as winter air descends.

Public Health and Financial Toll

Both financial and medical toll on the approximately 33 million people calling home the Delhi area is enormous, according to numerous studies.

These hazardous conditions leads to elevated rates of neurological, heart and circulatory and breathing diseases, and can even lead to cancer.

The pollution is projected to be accounting for approximately 10k premature deaths each year in the city.