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On Tuesday morning inhabitants of the world's most polluted city found themselves inhaling dangerously toxic air that fell into the "alarming" range.

Alarming Pollution Levels

Several parts of the capital showed an AQI exceeding 500, which translates to 10x the healthy threshold established by the WHO.

Particular areas, concentrations of toxic particulate matter soared to of 1800, representing 15-20x higher than acceptable standards.

Firecracker Prohibition and Recent Policy Shifts

For the past four years, officials had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the purchase and ignition of fireworks during celebrations due to their significant contribution to the hazardous smog that blankets the metropolis as the cold season begins.

Nevertheless in recent months, the newly elected city leadership approached the judicial authority to seek a modification of the ban.

The suggestion was allowing "green crackers" – previously criticized by environmental experts as being only roughly 30 percent lower impact – as a compromise between "tradition and environment".

Judicial Verdict and Reality

To the disappointment of public health and environmental advocates, the court approved the request, specifying that green firecrackers could be ignited during designated time windows throughout the Diwali.

During the celebrations, there was extensive flouting of the designated hours across the capital, with insufficient regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly variety.

Numerous recording stations throughout the city registered contamination reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst measurements observed during celebrations in at least three years.

International Consequences

The proliferation of firecrackers during Diwali also triggered a controversy with bordering the neighboring country, with representatives in Pakistani Punjab province pointing to deteriorating atmospheric conditions in their urban centers on hazardous particles traveling from India following the events.

Long-Standing Environmental Problem

Extremely elevated levels of pollution in Delhi have persisted as a serious issue for over a decade and a half, with the condition continuing to worsen.

Near celebratory seasons, the concentration of dangerous particulate matter in the atmosphere has been documented to spike to significantly exceeding the worst levels ever measured in Beijing, which was previously viewed as the planet's dirtiest city.

Diverse Pollution Factors

The problem in Delhi is resulting from a convergence of various sources including automobile exhaust, airborne particles, construction activities, waste incineration and pollutants from crop residue ignition in neighbouring areas of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, rural residents illegally burn crop residue to clear them quickly, producing hazardous smog that then gets trapped over the city as colder air descends.

Medical and Economic Consequences

Public health and economic impact on the roughly thirty-three million people residing in the metropolitan zone is substantial, according to numerous research.

This pollution results in increased incidence of nervous system, heart and circulatory and respiratory disorders, and can even lead to cancer.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be responsible for 10,000 premature fatalities per year in the capital.