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Tuesday brought residents of the world's most polluted city found themselves exposed to severely hazardous air that registered in the "alarming" level.

Alarming Pollution Readings

Various sections of Delhi registered an air quality index over 500, which translates to 10x the healthy limit recommended by the World Health Organization.

In some locations, levels of dangerous airborne particles hit highs of 1800, equating to 15-20x higher than safe limits.

Firecracker Prohibition and New Developments

Since 2020, authorities had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the hazardous pollution that engulfs the city as winter sets in.

Nevertheless in recent months, the newly elected city administration appealed to the judicial authority to propose a relaxation of the ban.

Officials advocated for allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – which have been doubted by environmental experts as being only about 30% less polluting – as a middle ground between "heritage and public health".

Court Ruling and Reality

Much to the frustration of environmental and health campaigners, the court agreed to the proposal, mandating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during limited time windows throughout the festival.

On Monday night, there was considerable disregard of the designated hours across the city, with insufficient enforcement regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly version.

Several air quality sensors throughout the city recorded air quality reaching highest levels around the night hours to some of the worst levels recorded during the festival in at least recent memory.

International Implications

Extensive ignition of pyrotechnics during the festival also triggered a controversy with neighbouring the neighboring country, with authorities in Pakistan's the Punjab region pointing to worsening pollution levels in their urban centers on contaminants originating in India following the festivities.

Persistent Environmental Issue

The dangerously high readings of pollution in the city have continued as a major problem for more than 15 years, with the condition showing no improvement.

During the festival period, the concentration of toxic particles in the atmosphere has been documented to shoot up to 70% higher the peak readings ever recorded in Beijing, which was previously considered as the world's most polluted city.

Various Contamination Sources

The problem in Delhi is attributed to a mix of various sources including automobile exhaust, airborne particles, development work, waste incineration and pollutants from farm burning in neighbouring regions of neighboring agricultural zones.

Within these states, agricultural workers regularly ignite agricultural waste to clear them quickly, generating dangerous pollution that remains stagnant over the city as colder air arrives.

Medical and Financial Consequences

Public health and economic toll on the nearly 33 million people residing in the capital region is significant, according to multiple investigations.

The contaminated air leads to high levels of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing disorders, and can result in malignancies.

The pollution is estimated to be causing ten thousand untimely deaths annually in the city.