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On Tuesday morning citizens of this heavily contaminated metropolis encountered breathing severely hazardous air that registered in the "critical" category.

Alarming Pollution Levels

Multiple areas of Delhi registered an air quality index over 500, which represents 10x the safe limit set by the World Health Organization.

In some locations, readings of dangerous airborne particles hit highs of 1800, representing 15 to 20 times higher than acceptable limits.

Firecracker Restrictions and Recent Changes

For the past four years, the government had enforced a complete ban on the purchase and ignition of fireworks during Diwali due to their substantial impact to the deadly smog that engulfs the metropolis as winter sets in.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the current city administration appealed to the highest court to request a modification of the ban.

The suggestion was allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously doubted by environmentalists as being only about 30% less polluting – as a middle ground between "tradition and public health".

Legal Ruling and Enforcement

Despite concerns of public health and environmental advocates, judges agreed to the proposal, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during limited hours throughout the celebrations.

Throughout the festival evening, there was considerable flouting of the designated hours across the city, with insufficient monitoring regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the eco-friendly version.

Many recording stations throughout the capital recorded contamination reaching highest levels around the night hours to extremely hazardous readings seen during Diwali in at least three years.

Regional Implications

Extensive ignition of fireworks during the celebrations also triggered a dispute with bordering the neighboring country, with authorities in Pakistani Punjab pointing to declining pollution levels in their urban centers on hazardous particles originating in across the border following the celebrations.

Long-Standing Environmental Problem

The dangerously high levels of atmospheric toxins in Delhi have remained as a serious issue for over a decade and a half, with the condition continuing to worsen.

Around the festival period, the amount of hazardous particles in the atmosphere has been found to shoot up to 70% higher the most severe levels ever recorded in the Chinese city, which was once regarded as the planet's dirtiest metropolis.

Multiple Pollution Factors

The situation in Delhi is caused by a mix of multiple factors including heavy vehicle emissions, dust, building projects, rubbish burning and pollutants from agricultural fires in nearby states of Punjab and Haryana.

In these regions, farmers regularly burn crop residue to prepare for next season, producing dangerous pollution that then gets trapped over the metropolitan area as winter air sets in.

Medical and Financial Toll

Public health and economic consequences on the nearly 33 million residents residing in the capital region is enormous, according to numerous studies.

The contaminated air causes increased incidence of neurological, heart and circulatory and respiratory diseases, and can result in malignancies.

Environmental contamination is calculated to be causing approximately 10k early fatalities each year in the capital.