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Tuesday brought inhabitants of the planet's dirtiest urban center found themselves exposed to dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "severe" level.

Record-Breaking Pollution Levels

Several parts of the city registered an air quality index exceeding 500, which equals ten times the healthy level recommended by the global health authority.

In some locations, levels of PM2.5 and PM10 hit highs of 1,800, amounting to 15-20x higher than healthy levels.

Pyrotechnics Restrictions and Recent Policy Shifts

Beginning in 2020, the government had maintained a complete ban on the purchase and ignition of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their major role to the deadly smog that covers the metropolis as colder weather begins.

However earlier this year, the current city administration petitioned the supreme court to request a relaxation of the ban.

Officials advocated for allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously questioned by environmentalists as being only about 30% lower impact – as a compromise between "tradition and public health".

Court Ruling and Reality

Much to the frustration of environmental and health activists, the court approved the appeal, stipulating that environmentally conscious fireworks could be ignited during specific time windows throughout the Diwali.

Throughout the festival evening, there was considerable violation of the regulated periods across the metropolis, with minimal monitoring regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly variety.

Many monitoring devices throughout the city registered pollution spiking around the night hours to some of the worst readings observed during Diwali in at least recent memory.

International Implications

The widespread use of fireworks during the festival also sparked a controversy with neighbouring Pakistan, with authorities in Pakistani Punjab province partially attributing declining air quality in their urban centers on contaminants coming from across the border following the events.

Chronic Pollution Problem

Extremely elevated readings of air contamination in the capital have remained as a significant problem for over a decade and a half, with the problem continuing to worsen.

Near the festival period, the amount of dangerous particles in the environment has been observed to shoot up to significantly exceeding the most severe readings ever recorded in the Chinese city, which was once considered as the planet's dirtiest urban center.

Various Contamination Factors

The problem in the city is resulting from a mix of multiple factors including transportation pollution, dust, construction activities, rubbish burning and smoke from crop residue ignition in nearby regions of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, agricultural workers illegally set their fields on fire to prepare for next season, generating dangerous smog that becomes contained over the capital as colder air arrives.

Medical and Economic Impact

The economic and health impact on the approximately 33 million residents residing in the metropolitan zone is significant, according to numerous research.

This pollution results in increased incidence of neurological, heart and circulatory and lung conditions, and can result in cancer.

Air quality crisis is projected to be accounting for approximately 10k premature mortalities annually in the city.