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Tuesday brought inhabitants of the world's most polluted city encountered inhaling dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "critical" category.

Extremely High Pollution Levels

Multiple areas of the capital registered an AQI over 500, which translates to a tenfold increase over the safe limit recommended by the global health authority.

In some locations, concentrations of dangerous airborne particles soared to of 1,800, amounting to 15 to 20 times higher than safe limits.

Fireworks Prohibition and New Changes

For the past four years, authorities had implemented a total prohibition on the purchase and ignition of firecrackers during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the hazardous pollution that covers the metropolis as colder weather approaches.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the newly elected local government approached the supreme court to seek a relaxation of the ban.

They proposed allowing "green crackers" – previously criticized by environmental experts as being only approximately one-third less polluting – as a balance between "tradition and public health".

Legal Decision and Implementation

To the disappointment of medical and ecological activists, judicial authorities agreed to the proposal, specifying that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be ignited during designated time windows throughout the celebrations.

On Monday night, there was extensive disregard of the time restrictions across the capital, with little enforcement regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the supposedly greener variety.

Many air quality sensors throughout the city registered pollution reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst readings observed during the festival in at least recent memory.

Regional Effects

Extensive ignition of firecrackers during the celebrations also initiated a dispute with neighbouring the neighboring country, with representatives in Pakistan's Punjab province partially attributing worsening air quality in Lahore on pollutants traveling from across the border following the events.

Chronic Environmental Issue

Alarmingly severe concentrations of atmospheric toxins in the capital have remained as a serious issue for more than 15 years, with the problem showing no improvement.

Around Diwali, the concentration of toxic particles in the atmosphere has been found to increase dramatically to seventy percent above the most severe records ever measured in the Chinese city, which was previously viewed as the planet's dirtiest metropolis.

Multiple Contamination Contributors

The situation in the capital is caused by a convergence of various sources including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, construction activities, garbage fires and smoke from farm burning in adjacent areas of neighboring agricultural zones.

In these regions, farmers illegally burn crop residue to prepare for next season, producing toxic haze that remains stagnant over the metropolitan area as colder air descends.

Health and Financial Impact

Public health and economic impact on the approximately 33 million people calling home the Delhi area is significant, according to multiple investigations.

This pollution results in increased incidence of neurological, heart and circulatory and lung conditions, and can potentially cause oncological diseases.

Air quality crisis is estimated to be causing 10,000 premature deaths per year in the city.