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On Tuesday morning inhabitants of the world's most polluted city found themselves breathing extremely polluted air that fell into the "severe" category.

Record-Breaking Pollution Levels

Various sections of the capital recorded an air quality index exceeding 500, which equals 10x the safe threshold recommended by the global health authority.

Particular areas, levels of toxic particulate matter soared to of 1800, representing fifteen to twenty times higher than acceptable standards.

Pyrotechnics Restrictions and Recent Changes

Beginning in 2020, the government had enforced a complete ban on the sale and use of fireworks during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the dangerous smog that covers the capital as winter begins.

However in recent months, the newly elected local government approached the highest court to propose a modification of the restrictions.

They proposed allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – previously doubted by environmentalists as being only approximately one-third lower impact – as a balance between "heritage and environment".

Judicial Verdict and Reality

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental campaigners, judges complied with the request, specifying that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during specific periods throughout the celebrations.

On Monday night, there was considerable violation of the designated hours across the metropolis, with little regulation regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the supposedly greener version.

Many air quality sensors throughout the city showed contamination reaching highest levels around late evening to extremely hazardous measurements recorded during celebrations in at least three years.

International Consequences

Extensive ignition of pyrotechnics during Diwali also sparked a controversy with bordering the neighboring country, with representatives in Pakistani the Punjab region partially attributing deteriorating pollution levels in their urban centers on hazardous particles traveling from India following the celebrations.

Chronic Environmental Crisis

Alarmingly severe levels of pollution in the city have remained as a significant challenge for fifteen-plus years, with the condition gradually deteriorating.

During Diwali, the concentration of toxic particles in the environment has been found to shoot up to significantly exceeding the worst records ever recorded in Beijing, which was once considered as the world's most polluted city.

Various Contamination Contributors

This crisis in the capital is attributed to a convergence of various sources including heavy vehicle emissions, dust, building projects, waste incineration and pollutants from farm burning in neighbouring areas of farming communities.

Within these states, farmers regularly ignite agricultural waste to clear them quickly, creating hazardous smog that remains stagnant over the metropolitan area as winter air descends.

Health and Financial Consequences

The economic and health impact on the approximately 33 million inhabitants calling home the capital region is significant, according to multiple studies.

The contaminated air causes increased incidence of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing disorders, and can potentially cause malignancies.

Environmental contamination is calculated to be causing approximately 10k untimely deaths per year in the capital.