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Tuesday brought inhabitants of the planet's dirtiest urban center were faced with inhaling extremely polluted air that fell into the "alarming" level.

Alarming Pollution Levels

Several parts of Delhi registered an pollution measurement exceeding 500, which translates to ten times the healthy limit set by the global health authority.

Certain monitoring stations, concentrations of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1,800, equating to fifteen to twenty times higher than healthy standards.

Pyrotechnics Ban and Recent Changes

Beginning in 2020, the government had implemented a total prohibition on the purchase and ignition of fireworks during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the dangerous pollution that covers the capital as winter approaches.

However earlier this year, the current local leadership approached the supreme court to seek a relaxation of the restrictions.

The suggestion was allowing "green crackers" – which have been criticized by environmental experts as being only approximately one-third lower impact – as a compromise between "tradition and public health".

Court Verdict and Implementation

Much to the frustration of medical and ecological advocates, judges complied with the request, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be set off during limited periods throughout the Diwali.

During the celebrations, there was considerable violation of the designated hours across the metropolis, with little monitoring regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the more environmentally friendly version.

Numerous recording stations throughout Delhi recorded contamination reaching highest levels around the night hours to the most severe levels observed during celebrations in at least three years.

International Consequences

The proliferation of pyrotechnics during the celebrations also triggered a controversy with bordering Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistani Punjab province partially attributing worsening air quality in Lahore on contaminants traveling from neighboring India following the celebrations.

Chronic Environmental Problem

Alarmingly severe levels of air contamination in the city have remained as a significant challenge for more than 15 years, with the situation showing no improvement.

During the festival period, the concentration of hazardous airborne contaminants in the environment has been documented to shoot up to seventy percent above the most severe levels ever documented in Beijing, which was formerly viewed as the globally most contaminated city.

Various Contamination Contributors

The situation in the city is resulting from a combination of different contributors including transportation pollution, airborne particles, construction activities, garbage fires and pollutants from farm burning in neighbouring areas of farming communities.

In these regions, farmers routinely ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, creating toxic pollution that then gets trapped over the city as winter air descends.

Health and Economic Toll

The economic and health consequences on the nearly 33 million residents living in the metropolitan zone is significant, according to multiple research.

The contaminated air results in high levels of nervous system, heart and circulatory and breathing diseases, and can result in oncological diseases.

The pollution is projected to be causing approximately 10k untimely deaths per year in the city.