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Tuesday brought citizens of this heavily contaminated metropolis encountered exposed to severely hazardous air that fell into the "severe" category.

Record-Breaking Pollution Levels

Several parts of the capital recorded an AQI over 500, which represents ten times the recommended threshold set by the WHO.

In some locations, readings of PM2.5 and PM10 soared to of eighteen hundred, equating to fifteen to twenty times exceeding safe levels.

Pyrotechnics Ban and New Changes

Beginning in 2020, the government had enforced a comprehensive restriction on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their major role to the hazardous smog that blankets the city as colder weather sets in.

However in recent months, the recently formed city leadership appealed to the supreme court to propose a relaxation of the restrictions.

They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically questioned by conservation groups as being only about 30% lower impact – as a balance between "heritage and public health".

Legal Decision and Reality

To the disappointment of environmental and health advocates, judges approved the request, mandating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during specific hours throughout the celebrations.

On Monday night, there was considerable violation of the regulated periods across the metropolis, with insufficient enforcement regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the eco-friendly variety.

Numerous recording stations throughout the capital registered pollution reaching highest levels around the night hours to extremely hazardous readings recorded during the festival in at least the past three years.

Regional Consequences

The proliferation of firecrackers during Diwali also initiated a dispute with neighbouring the neighboring country, with officials in Pakistan's Punjab pointing to worsening air quality in the city of Lahore on contaminants traveling from across the border following the events.

Chronic Environmental Problem

The dangerously high readings of air contamination in Delhi have remained as a serious challenge for more than 15 years, with the condition continuing to worsen.

Around Diwali, the concentration of hazardous airborne contaminants in the atmosphere has been found to increase dramatically to 70% higher the worst records ever recorded in China's capital, which was formerly considered as the world's most polluted urban center.

Multiple Pollution Sources

The problem in the capital is attributed to a convergence of multiple factors including automobile exhaust, airborne particles, building projects, waste incineration and haze from agricultural fires in neighbouring states of farming communities.

Throughout these areas, rural residents illegally ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, generating toxic pollution that remains stagnant over the city as colder air descends.

Public Health and Financial Impact

Both financial and medical toll on the roughly thirty-three million inhabitants calling home the capital region is substantial, according to various studies.

These hazardous conditions causes high levels of neurological, heart and circulatory and breathing conditions, and can potentially cause cancer.

Environmental contamination is projected to be causing ten thousand premature deaths annually in the city.