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Tuesday brought residents of the planet's dirtiest urban center found themselves inhaling severely hazardous air that registered in the "alarming" level.

Alarming Air Quality Levels

Various sections of the capital registered an AQI exceeding 500, which translates to ten times the safe level set by the global health authority.

Particular areas, concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 hit highs of 1800, amounting to 15-20x exceeding acceptable standards.

Pyrotechnics Ban and Recent Developments

For the past four years, officials had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the dangerous haze that engulfs the city as colder weather begins.

Yet earlier this year, the current city leadership petitioned the highest court to propose a modification of the prohibition.

Officials advocated for allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously questioned by environmentalists as being only approximately one-third reduced emissions – as a middle ground between "cultural practices and public health".

Judicial Ruling and Reality

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental activists, the court approved the proposal, mandating that green firecrackers could be ignited during designated periods throughout the Diwali.

Throughout the festival evening, there was widespread flouting of the designated hours across the metropolis, with little regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Many air quality sensors throughout Delhi registered air quality peaking around midnight to some of the worst measurements recorded during celebrations in at least three years.

International Consequences

The proliferation of fireworks during Diwali also sparked a blame game with bordering Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistani Punjab pointing to declining air quality in their urban centers on pollutants coming from neighboring India following the events.

Long-Standing Pollution Crisis

Extremely elevated levels of air contamination in Delhi have continued as a serious issue for over a decade and a half, with the problem gradually deteriorating.

Near celebratory seasons, the amount of hazardous particulate matter in the atmosphere has been documented to shoot up to significantly exceeding the peak records ever measured in China's capital, which was formerly regarded as the world's most polluted urban center.

Diverse Contamination Sources

The situation in the city is resulting from a mix of different contributors including transportation pollution, dust, building projects, rubbish burning and smoke from agricultural fires in nearby areas of neighboring agricultural zones.

Within these states, farmers illegally burn crop residue to clear them quickly, generating toxic smog that remains stagnant over the city as cooler air arrives.

Health and Financial Consequences

The economic and health impact on the approximately 33 million inhabitants residing in the Delhi area is enormous, according to numerous research.

These hazardous conditions leads to high levels of neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, and can result in cancer.

Air quality crisis is estimated to be responsible for 10,000 untimely deaths each year in the capital.