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Tuesday brought residents of this heavily contaminated metropolis found themselves breathing extremely polluted air that fell into the "critical" level.

Extremely High Pollution Levels

Several parts of Delhi showed an pollution measurement above 500, which equals a tenfold increase over the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization.

In some locations, readings of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1800, equating to 15-20x exceeding safe limits.

Fireworks Ban and Current Changes

Beginning in 2020, the government had enforced a complete ban on the purchase and ignition of firecrackers during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the hazardous pollution that engulfs the capital as winter sets in.

Yet in recent months, the current regional administration approached the judicial authority to seek a modification of the ban.

They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – which have been questioned by environmentalists as being only about 30% less polluting – as a balance between "tradition and public health".

Legal Verdict and Enforcement

Despite concerns of environmental and health campaigners, judicial authorities agreed to the proposal, mandating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be set off during limited hours throughout the festival.

Throughout the festival evening, there was considerable violation of the regulated periods across the metropolis, with minimal regulation regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Several monitoring devices throughout Delhi recorded air quality spiking around the night hours to extremely hazardous readings seen during the festival in at least the past three years.

International Implications

The widespread use of firecrackers during the celebrations also sparked a blame game with bordering Pakistan, with authorities in Pakistani the Punjab region partly blaming worsening pollution levels in Lahore on contaminants originating in India following the festivities.

Long-Standing Environmental Problem

The dangerously high levels of air contamination in Delhi have persisted as a serious challenge for more than 15 years, with the situation gradually deteriorating.

Around Diwali, the levels of toxic airborne contaminants in the air has been found to shoot up to significantly exceeding the peak records ever recorded in Beijing, which was previously regarded as the world's most polluted urban center.

Multiple Pollution Contributors

This crisis in Delhi is resulting from a combination of multiple factors including heavy vehicle emissions, construction debris, development work, garbage fires and pollutants from agricultural fires in nearby areas of farming communities.

In these regions, farmers routinely set their fields on fire to prepare for next season, producing dangerous smog that remains stagnant over the city as cooler air arrives.

Health and Economic Toll

The economic and health toll on the roughly thirty-three million residents living in the Delhi area is significant, according to multiple studies.

The contaminated air causes increased incidence of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing diseases, and can even lead to oncological diseases.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be accounting for approximately 10k premature fatalities each year in Delhi.