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Tuesday brought citizens of this heavily contaminated metropolis found themselves exposed to extremely polluted air that was classified as the "severe" level.

Extremely High Air Quality Readings

Several parts of the city registered an air quality index exceeding 500, which represents a tenfold increase over the recommended threshold set by the global health authority.

Certain monitoring stations, readings of PM2.5 and PM10 reached peaks of 1,800, representing 15-20x higher than healthy levels.

Firecracker Ban and New Developments

Since 2020, authorities had enforced a comprehensive restriction on the purchase and ignition of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the hazardous smog that covers the metropolis as the cold season sets in.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the newly elected city government appealed to the highest court to propose a easing of the prohibition.

Officials advocated for allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – which have been criticized by conservation groups as being only approximately one-third reduced emissions – as a middle ground between "heritage and ecological concerns".

Judicial Ruling and Implementation

Much to the frustration of medical and ecological advocates, the court approved the proposal, stipulating that green firecrackers could be used during designated time windows throughout the Diwali.

During the celebrations, there was widespread flouting of the designated hours across the metropolis, with little enforcement regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the supposedly greener type.

Many air quality sensors throughout the capital showed pollution reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst levels recorded during Diwali in at least recent memory.

Cross-Border Implications

The proliferation of firecrackers during the celebrations also triggered a controversy with bordering Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistani Punjab province partly blaming deteriorating atmospheric conditions in the city of Lahore on pollutants originating in neighboring India following the celebrations.

Chronic Pollution Crisis

Alarmingly severe concentrations of pollution in the city have remained as a serious problem for fifteen-plus years, with the problem continuing to worsen.

During celebratory seasons, the concentration of dangerous particles in the air has been observed to spike to 70% higher the worst levels ever recorded in China's capital, which was formerly considered as the globally most contaminated urban center.

Diverse Contamination Contributors

The situation in the city is attributed to a mix of various sources including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, development work, garbage fires and pollutants from agricultural fires in neighbouring regions of Punjab and Haryana.

In these regions, agricultural workers regularly ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, producing toxic pollution that remains stagnant over the metropolitan area as winter air arrives.

Health and Financial Toll

Public health and economic toll on the nearly 33 million residents living in the capital region is enormous, according to multiple studies.

These hazardous conditions results in high levels of neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and can result in oncological diseases.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be causing 10,000 early deaths per year in Delhi.