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Tuesday brought inhabitants of this heavily contaminated metropolis found themselves exposed to severely hazardous air that was classified as the "critical" range.

Alarming Pollution Measurements

Multiple areas of the city registered an AQI exceeding 500, which represents 10x the safe level established by the global health authority.

In some locations, readings of dangerous airborne particles hit highs of 1,800, amounting to 15-20x above healthy limits.

Pyrotechnics Restrictions and Recent Policy Shifts

For the past four years, the government had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the purchase and ignition of pyrotechnics during the Festival of Lights due to their substantial impact to the deadly pollution that covers the capital as colder weather approaches.

However earlier this year, the current city administration approached the judicial authority to request a modification of the ban.

Officials advocated for allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – historically criticized by conservation groups as being only approximately one-third reduced emissions – as a balance between "cultural practices and ecological concerns".

Legal Decision and Implementation

To the disappointment of environmental and health activists, judicial authorities approved the request, mandating that environmentally conscious fireworks could be ignited during limited time windows throughout the festival.

On Monday night, there was extensive disregard of the time restrictions across the metropolis, with insufficient monitoring regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the more environmentally friendly version.

Several monitoring devices throughout Delhi recorded contamination reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst readings observed during Diwali in at least recent memory.

International Consequences

Extensive ignition of pyrotechnics during the festival also sparked a dispute with adjacent Pakistan, with officials in Pakistan's Punjab province pointing to deteriorating pollution levels in their urban centers on pollutants traveling from neighboring India following the celebrations.

Chronic Environmental Problem

Extremely elevated levels of atmospheric toxins in Delhi have continued as a significant challenge for more than 15 years, with the condition gradually deteriorating.

Around Diwali, the levels of hazardous airborne contaminants in the environment has been found to spike to significantly exceeding the most severe readings ever measured in the Chinese city, which was once viewed as the globally most contaminated city.

Various Pollution Contributors

The problem in Delhi is caused by a convergence of multiple factors including heavy vehicle emissions, construction debris, building projects, garbage fires and smoke from farm burning in neighbouring areas of farming communities.

In these regions, agricultural workers illegally burn crop residue to clear them quickly, producing toxic pollution that remains stagnant over the capital as colder air sets in.

Health and Financial Toll

Both financial and medical impact on the approximately 33 million inhabitants living in the metropolitan zone is enormous, according to various research.

This pollution results in elevated rates of nervous system, heart and circulatory and lung diseases, and can potentially cause oncological diseases.

Air quality crisis is projected to be causing approximately 10k untimely mortalities per year in the capital.