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On Tuesday morning residents of the world's most polluted city found themselves exposed to extremely polluted air that registered in the "severe" category.

Alarming Pollution Levels

Various sections of the city recorded an AQI above 500, which translates to 10x the healthy level set by the WHO.

Certain monitoring stations, readings of PM2.5 and PM10 reached peaks of 1800, amounting to 15-20x exceeding healthy standards.

Pyrotechnics Prohibition and New Changes

For the past four years, authorities had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during the Festival of Lights due to their substantial impact to the deadly smog that blankets the metropolis as winter approaches.

Nevertheless in recent months, the recently formed city administration appealed to the judicial authority to seek a modification of the ban.

Officials advocated for allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously questioned by conservation groups as being only about 30% reduced emissions – as a compromise between "heritage and public health".

Court Ruling and Reality

Despite concerns of environmental and health campaigners, judges approved the request, specifying that environmentally conscious fireworks could be set off during specific hours throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was widespread flouting of the designated hours across the metropolis, with insufficient regulation regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Several air quality sensors throughout the city recorded contamination peaking around late evening to some of the worst readings observed during the festival in at least three years.

Cross-Border Consequences

The widespread use of firecrackers during the celebrations also initiated a blame game with bordering the neighboring country, with representatives in Pakistan's Punjab province partly blaming deteriorating air quality in Lahore on contaminants originating in India following the events.

Chronic Pollution Crisis

The dangerously high levels of atmospheric toxins in Delhi have persisted as a major issue for more than 15 years, with the problem showing no improvement.

During the festival period, the levels of toxic particles in the air has been documented to increase dramatically to 70% higher the peak readings ever recorded in Beijing, which was once considered as the planet's dirtiest city.

Diverse Contamination Sources

This crisis in Delhi is caused by a convergence of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, construction debris, development work, rubbish burning and smoke from farm burning in adjacent states of neighboring agricultural zones.

In these regions, agricultural workers regularly ignite agricultural waste to clear them quickly, generating dangerous smog that remains stagnant over the capital as winter air sets in.

Public Health and Financial Consequences

The economic and health toll on the approximately 33 million inhabitants calling home the Delhi area is significant, according to numerous studies.

These hazardous conditions leads to high levels of neurological, cardiovascular and lung disorders, and can result in oncological diseases.

Air quality crisis is projected to be causing ten thousand premature deaths per year in Delhi.