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As Tuesday dawned citizens of the planet's dirtiest urban center encountered exposed to severely hazardous air that fell into the "critical" level.

Record-Breaking Air Quality Readings

Several parts of the capital registered an AQI exceeding 500, which equals ten times the healthy limit set by the World Health Organization.

Particular areas, levels of PM2.5 and PM10 reached peaks of 1,800, equating to 15-20x higher than acceptable standards.

Firecracker Ban and Recent Developments

For the past four years, officials had implemented a total prohibition on the purchase and ignition of firecrackers during celebrations due to their substantial impact to the hazardous smog that covers the capital as winter sets in.

However recently, the current regional leadership appealed to the supreme court to propose a modification of the restrictions.

The suggestion was allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically questioned by conservation groups as being only about 30% reduced emissions – as a middle ground between "cultural practices and public health".

Legal Ruling and Implementation

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

During the celebrations, there was widespread disregard of the designated hours across the capital, with little monitoring regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the more environmentally friendly variety.

Many monitoring devices throughout the capital registered air quality reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst readings seen during the festival in at least three years.

Cross-Border Consequences

The widespread use of firecrackers during the celebrations also sparked a blame game with neighbouring Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistan's Punjab pointing to worsening pollution levels in Lahore on hazardous particles originating in neighboring India following the festivities.

Persistent Pollution Problem

Extremely elevated levels of pollution in Delhi have continued as a major problem for over a decade and a half, with the condition continuing to worsen.

Around the festival period, the levels of dangerous particles in the environment has been observed to increase dramatically to significantly exceeding the most severe levels ever documented in China's capital, which was previously viewed as the globally most contaminated city.

Diverse Pollution Factors

This crisis in Delhi is caused by a combination of various sources including transportation pollution, dust, building projects, garbage fires and haze from farm burning in neighbouring areas of neighboring agricultural zones.

Throughout these areas, rural residents illegally ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, generating dangerous haze that then gets trapped over the metropolitan area as winter air arrives.

Health and Economic Consequences

The economic and health toll on the approximately 33 million inhabitants residing in the capital region is significant, according to multiple studies.

This pollution causes high levels of nervous system, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and can potentially cause malignancies.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be responsible for 10,000 untimely mortalities each year in the capital.