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As Tuesday dawned citizens of the planet's dirtiest urban center were faced with exposed to severely hazardous air that fell into the "critical" range.

Extremely High Pollution Measurements

Various sections of Delhi recorded an air quality index above 500, which equals 10x the healthy limit established by the WHO.

Certain monitoring stations, readings of toxic particulate matter hit highs of 1,800, equating to 15-20x higher than healthy levels.

Fireworks Restrictions and Current Developments

For the past four years, authorities had enforced a comprehensive restriction on the sale and use of firecrackers during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the dangerous pollution that covers the capital as the cold season begins.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the current regional government appealed to the supreme court to propose a relaxation of the prohibition.

The suggestion was allowing "green crackers" – historically criticized by conservation groups as being only roughly 30 percent less polluting – as a middle ground between "tradition and ecological concerns".

Court Ruling and Reality

To the disappointment of medical and ecological campaigners, judges complied with the appeal, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be ignited during limited time windows throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was extensive disregard of the designated hours across the metropolis, with minimal monitoring regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the supposedly greener version.

Numerous recording stations throughout the capital showed air quality peaking around late evening to the most severe levels seen during the festival in at least three years.

Regional Consequences

Extensive ignition of firecrackers during the celebrations also triggered a blame game with bordering the neighboring country, with officials in Pakistani Punjab pointing to declining pollution levels in the city of Lahore on hazardous particles originating in India following the festivities.

Long-Standing Pollution Issue

Extremely elevated concentrations of atmospheric toxins in the city have persisted as a significant problem for fifteen-plus years, with the condition gradually deteriorating.

Near the festival period, the levels of toxic particles in the air has been found to shoot up to significantly exceeding the peak readings ever recorded in China's capital, which was previously viewed as the globally most contaminated metropolis.

Multiple Pollution Sources

The situation in the capital is attributed to a combination of various sources including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, building projects, garbage fires and haze from farm burning in neighbouring regions of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, rural residents routinely ignite agricultural waste to clear them quickly, generating hazardous pollution that becomes contained over the city as cooler air sets in.

Health and Financial Consequences

Public health and economic toll on the roughly thirty-three million inhabitants residing in the Delhi area is enormous, according to multiple studies.

This pollution causes increased incidence of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing conditions, and can even lead to malignancies.

Environmental contamination is calculated to be accounting for ten thousand untimely deaths each year in the capital.