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On Tuesday morning inhabitants of the world's most polluted city found themselves breathing extremely polluted air that was classified as the "alarming" range.

Record-Breaking Pollution Levels

Several parts of Delhi recorded an AQI above 500, which represents ten times the safe level set by the global health authority.

Certain monitoring stations, levels of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of eighteen hundred, representing fifteen to twenty times exceeding safe levels.

Firecracker Restrictions and Recent Changes

For the past four years, authorities had implemented a complete ban on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during celebrations due to their significant contribution to the hazardous haze that engulfs the city as winter approaches.

Yet recently, the current city government appealed to the highest court to propose a modification of the prohibition.

Officials advocated for allowing "green crackers" – historically questioned by conservation groups as being only about 30% less polluting – as a compromise between "tradition and environment".

Legal Verdict and Reality

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental activists, judges complied with the appeal, mandating that green firecrackers could be set off during limited hours throughout the celebrations.

During the celebrations, there was considerable flouting of the regulated periods across the city, with insufficient regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the supposedly greener type.

Numerous recording stations throughout Delhi registered pollution reaching highest levels around midnight to the most severe measurements recorded during Diwali in at least three years.

International Effects

The widespread use of fireworks during the celebrations also initiated a dispute with neighbouring Pakistan, with officials in Pakistani the Punjab region partly blaming worsening pollution levels in the city of Lahore on contaminants traveling from across the border following the events.

Chronic Environmental Issue

The dangerously high concentrations of atmospheric toxins in the capital have remained as a serious issue for more than 15 years, with the problem gradually deteriorating.

Near celebratory seasons, the concentration of hazardous airborne contaminants in the atmosphere has been found to shoot up to significantly exceeding the worst readings ever documented in the Chinese city, which was formerly regarded as the world's most polluted city.

Multiple Pollution Sources

The problem in Delhi is caused by a combination of multiple factors including transportation pollution, airborne particles, development work, rubbish burning and haze from farm burning in adjacent regions of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, agricultural workers illegally burn crop residue to prepare for next season, producing dangerous smog that remains stagnant over the metropolitan area as cooler air sets in.

Public Health and Economic Consequences

Both financial and medical consequences on the approximately 33 million inhabitants calling home the capital region is substantial, according to multiple investigations.

These hazardous conditions results in high levels of nervous system, cardiovascular and lung disorders, and can even lead to oncological diseases.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be accounting for 10,000 untimely deaths each year in Delhi.