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As Tuesday dawned citizens of the world's most polluted city were faced with inhaling severely hazardous air that fell into the "critical" range.

Extremely High Air Quality Measurements

Several parts of the capital showed an air quality index above 500, which equals 10x the recommended threshold recommended by the global health authority.

In some locations, concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 reached peaks of 1,800, representing 15-20x exceeding healthy levels.

Pyrotechnics Ban and Current Developments

For the past four years, the government had enforced a total prohibition on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during celebrations due to their substantial impact to the dangerous pollution that blankets the city as the cold season begins.

Yet earlier this year, the current local government approached the highest court to propose a relaxation of the prohibition.

They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically questioned by environmentalists as being only roughly 30 percent lower impact – as a balance between "heritage and public health".

Court Verdict and Enforcement

Despite concerns of public health and environmental advocates, the court complied with the appeal, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during designated time windows throughout the celebrations.

On Monday night, there was considerable violation of the regulated periods across the metropolis, with little regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the more environmentally friendly type.

Several air quality sensors throughout the city registered pollution reaching highest levels around midnight to the most severe measurements recorded during Diwali in at least three years.

Cross-Border Effects

The proliferation of pyrotechnics during the festival also triggered a dispute with bordering Pakistan, with authorities in Pakistan's Punjab partially attributing deteriorating air quality in the city of Lahore on contaminants traveling from neighboring India following the festivities.

Persistent Pollution Issue

Alarmingly severe readings of atmospheric toxins in Delhi have persisted as a significant problem for fifteen-plus years, with the problem continuing to worsen.

Near celebratory seasons, the levels of toxic airborne contaminants in the air has been found to shoot up to 70% higher the most severe records ever recorded in Beijing, which was once considered as the world's most polluted metropolis.

Various Pollution Contributors

The situation in the city is caused by a mix of different contributors including transportation pollution, dust, development work, garbage fires and haze from agricultural fires in neighbouring states of farming communities.

In these regions, agricultural workers regularly set their fields on fire to clear them quickly, producing dangerous pollution that becomes contained over the city as colder air sets in.

Medical and Financial Consequences

Both financial and medical impact on the approximately 33 million inhabitants living in the metropolitan zone is substantial, according to various research.

These hazardous conditions results in increased incidence of neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, and can even lead to malignancies.

Environmental contamination is projected to be responsible for approximately 10k untimely deaths per year in the city.