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On Tuesday morning citizens of the planet's dirtiest urban center were faced with inhaling dangerously toxic air that fell into the "critical" range.

Alarming Pollution Levels

Several parts of the capital recorded an air quality index above 500, which represents ten times the healthy threshold set by the WHO.

In some locations, levels of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1,800, amounting to fifteen to twenty times exceeding healthy standards.

Firecracker Ban and Recent Changes

For the past four years, the government had enforced a total prohibition on the purchase and ignition of pyrotechnics during celebrations due to their substantial impact to the hazardous pollution that engulfs the city as winter sets in.

Nevertheless recently, the current regional administration approached the highest court to request a relaxation of the ban.

They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously questioned by conservation groups as being only approximately one-third lower impact – as a balance between "heritage and environment".

Court Ruling and Enforcement

Despite concerns of environmental and health advocates, the court agreed to the appeal, mandating that green firecrackers could be used during designated time windows throughout the festival.

Throughout the festival evening, there was considerable flouting of the designated hours across the city, with minimal monitoring regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the supposedly greener type.

Many air quality sensors throughout the capital recorded pollution peaking around midnight to the most severe measurements observed during Diwali in at least recent memory.

International Implications

The proliferation of pyrotechnics during the celebrations also sparked a controversy with adjacent Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistani the Punjab region partly blaming worsening atmospheric conditions in the city of Lahore on contaminants traveling from neighboring India following the celebrations.

Long-Standing Environmental Issue

Alarmingly severe levels of pollution in the capital have remained as a major problem for fifteen-plus years, with the condition continuing to worsen.

During Diwali, the levels of hazardous particulate matter in the air has been found to shoot up to seventy percent above the worst records ever measured in the Chinese city, which was formerly considered as the planet's dirtiest metropolis.

Multiple Pollution Contributors

This crisis in Delhi is caused by a convergence of different contributors including transportation pollution, dust, building projects, rubbish burning and smoke from agricultural fires in nearby states of neighboring agricultural zones.

Throughout these areas, agricultural workers regularly ignite agricultural waste to clear them quickly, producing dangerous pollution that becomes contained over the capital as winter air descends.

Public Health and Financial Toll

Both financial and medical impact on the approximately 33 million people residing in the Delhi area is significant, according to numerous investigations.

This pollution causes high levels of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing diseases, and can even lead to oncological diseases.

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