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On Tuesday morning citizens of the world's most polluted city encountered breathing dangerously toxic air that fell into the "alarming" category.

Record-Breaking Pollution Levels

Several parts of the city registered an AQI above 500, which translates to a tenfold increase over the safe threshold recommended by the WHO.

Particular areas, concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 hit highs of 1800, representing 15 to 20 times exceeding safe levels.

Firecracker Ban and Current Developments

Beginning in 2020, the government had maintained a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their major role to the deadly haze that blankets the city as colder weather approaches.

Yet earlier this year, the recently formed regional administration appealed to the highest court to request a easing of the restrictions.

Officials advocated for allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – previously criticized by environmentalists as being only about 30% less polluting – as a compromise between "heritage and ecological concerns".

Legal Ruling and Enforcement

Much to the frustration of medical and ecological advocates, judicial authorities complied with the appeal, specifying that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be set off during designated periods throughout the celebrations.

During the celebrations, there was extensive disregard of the regulated periods across the capital, with little enforcement regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the more environmentally friendly version.

Several air quality sensors throughout Delhi registered pollution spiking around late evening to some of the worst measurements seen during Diwali in at least three years.

Cross-Border Effects

Extensive ignition of firecrackers during Diwali also triggered a dispute with bordering the neighboring country, with authorities in Pakistan's Punjab partly blaming declining pollution levels in their urban centers on hazardous particles originating in neighboring India following the events.

Persistent Environmental Problem

Extremely elevated levels of pollution in the capital have remained as a significant issue for over a decade and a half, with the condition showing no improvement.

During celebratory seasons, the concentration of dangerous particulate matter in the environment has been found to spike to 70% higher the peak levels ever recorded in the Chinese city, which was previously regarded as the globally most contaminated urban center.

Multiple Pollution Contributors

The problem in the city is resulting from a combination of different contributors including transportation pollution, construction debris, construction activities, garbage fires and smoke from agricultural fires in nearby states of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, farmers regularly burn crop residue to clear them quickly, generating toxic pollution that then gets trapped over the metropolitan area as colder air descends.

Public Health and Economic Impact

Both financial and medical consequences on the nearly 33 million inhabitants calling home the metropolitan zone is significant, according to multiple studies.

These hazardous conditions results in elevated rates of nervous system, heart and circulatory and breathing conditions, and can potentially cause oncological diseases.

The pollution is projected to be causing 10,000 early mortalities per year in Delhi.