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Tuesday brought citizens of the world's most polluted city were faced with breathing dangerously toxic air that registered in the "critical" range.

Extremely High Pollution Readings

Multiple areas of Delhi recorded an AQI above 500, which equals ten times the recommended limit recommended by the World Health Organization.

In some locations, concentrations of dangerous airborne particles reached peaks of eighteen hundred, representing fifteen to twenty times above safe standards.

Fireworks Prohibition and Current Developments

For the past four years, the government had implemented 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 colder weather sets in.

However in recent months, the recently formed city government approached the supreme court to propose a easing of the prohibition.

The suggestion was allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – historically criticized by environmentalists as being only about 30% lower impact – as a middle ground between "heritage and environment".

Court Verdict and Implementation

To the disappointment of environmental and health campaigners, judges approved the appeal, specifying that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be ignited during designated periods throughout the festival.

During the celebrations, there was considerable flouting of the regulated periods across the metropolis, with minimal monitoring regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the more environmentally friendly version.

Many monitoring devices throughout Delhi registered air quality reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst levels recorded during Diwali in at least the past three years.

Regional Effects

The proliferation of firecrackers during the festival also sparked a blame game with bordering the neighboring country, with officials in Pakistani the Punjab region partially attributing deteriorating atmospheric conditions in their urban centers on contaminants traveling from across the border following the celebrations.

Persistent Pollution Problem

The dangerously high concentrations of atmospheric toxins in the city have continued as a serious issue for more than 15 years, with the situation showing no improvement.

During the festival period, the amount of dangerous particulate matter in the environment has been found to increase dramatically to 70% higher the worst readings ever measured in China's capital, which was formerly regarded as the planet's dirtiest city.

Multiple Pollution Contributors

The situation in Delhi is resulting from a mix of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, construction debris, development work, waste incineration and haze from farm burning in adjacent regions of farming communities.

In these regions, agricultural workers illegally burn crop residue to expedite field preparation, generating hazardous pollution that remains stagnant over the city as colder air sets in.

Health and Financial Impact

Both financial and medical consequences on the roughly thirty-three million people calling home the capital region is significant, according to multiple studies.

The contaminated air causes high levels of neurological, heart and circulatory and lung conditions, and can potentially cause cancer.

The pollution is estimated to be responsible for 10,000 premature mortalities each year in Delhi.