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Tuesday brought inhabitants of the world's most polluted city were faced with breathing extremely polluted air that was classified as the "severe" category.

Record-Breaking Pollution Measurements

Various sections of the city showed an pollution measurement above 500, which represents a tenfold increase over the recommended level set by the WHO.

Certain monitoring stations, levels of PM2.5 and PM10 hit highs of 1800, representing 15 to 20 times exceeding acceptable limits.

Pyrotechnics Ban and Current Changes

Beginning in 2020, the government had maintained a complete ban on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the dangerous smog that engulfs the capital as winter approaches.

However in recent months, the recently formed regional administration petitioned the highest court to propose a easing of the ban.

They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically criticized by environmentalists as being only about 30% less polluting – as a balance between "tradition and environment".

Legal Ruling and Enforcement

Despite concerns of public health and environmental activists, the court agreed to the request, stipulating that green firecrackers could be used during specific hours throughout the celebrations.

On Monday night, there was considerable flouting of the time restrictions across the city, with insufficient monitoring regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Many monitoring devices throughout the city showed air quality reaching highest levels around midnight to extremely hazardous readings seen during Diwali in at least three years.

Regional Implications

Extensive ignition of firecrackers during the festival also initiated a controversy with neighbouring the neighboring country, with officials in Pakistani Punjab partially attributing deteriorating air quality in the city of Lahore on hazardous particles originating in India following the celebrations.

Long-Standing Pollution Crisis

The dangerously high levels of air contamination in the city have continued as a major challenge for fifteen-plus years, with the problem gradually deteriorating.

Near celebratory seasons, the levels of toxic particulate matter in the environment has been observed to spike to seventy percent above the most severe levels ever measured in Beijing, which was formerly viewed as the world's most polluted city.

Multiple Pollution Sources

The problem in Delhi is attributed to a mix of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, construction debris, building projects, waste incineration and pollutants from agricultural fires in nearby areas of farming communities.

In these regions, agricultural workers illegally burn crop residue to expedite field preparation, producing dangerous haze that then gets trapped over the city as colder air sets in.

Health and Financial Impact

Public health and economic impact on the approximately 33 million people calling home the metropolitan zone is substantial, according to various investigations.

The contaminated air causes elevated rates of nervous system, cardiovascular and lung disorders, and can potentially cause cancer.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be causing approximately 10k premature mortalities per year in the capital.