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On Tuesday morning inhabitants of the planet's dirtiest urban center found themselves exposed to severely hazardous air that fell into the "critical" category.

Record-Breaking Pollution Levels

Multiple areas of the capital recorded an pollution measurement exceeding 500, which represents ten times the healthy threshold set by the World Health Organization.

Particular areas, concentrations of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1,800, equating to fifteen to twenty times exceeding safe standards.

Firecracker Prohibition and Recent Policy Shifts

For the past four years, authorities had enforced a complete ban on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during the Festival of Lights due to their significant contribution to the dangerous haze that covers the city as the cold season sets in.

However in recent months, the recently formed regional leadership petitioned the supreme court to seek a modification of the restrictions.

Officials advocated for allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – which have been questioned by environmentalists as being only about 30% reduced emissions – as a compromise between "cultural practices and environment".

Court Ruling and Implementation

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental activists, judicial authorities approved the appeal, specifying that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be ignited during specific time windows throughout the festival.

On Monday night, there was considerable violation of the designated hours across the city, with minimal regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the more environmentally friendly type.

Several air quality sensors throughout the capital recorded contamination reaching highest levels around the night hours to the most severe readings seen during the festival in at least the past three years.

International Effects

The widespread use of firecrackers during the celebrations also sparked a controversy with neighbouring the neighboring country, with authorities in Pakistan's Punjab partly blaming worsening pollution levels in Lahore on pollutants traveling from neighboring India following the festivities.

Chronic Pollution Crisis

The dangerously high concentrations of atmospheric toxins in the capital have remained as a significant issue for over a decade and a half, with the situation gradually deteriorating.

During the festival period, the levels of toxic particles in the environment has been found to spike to significantly exceeding the worst readings ever measured in the Chinese city, which was once regarded as the globally most contaminated city.

Various Contamination Sources

The problem in the capital is attributed to a combination of different contributors including automobile exhaust, dust, construction activities, rubbish burning and pollutants from agricultural fires in neighbouring regions of farming communities.

Throughout these areas, farmers regularly set their fields on fire to clear them quickly, generating toxic pollution that remains stagnant over the city as winter air descends.

Health and Financial Toll

Both financial and medical toll on the approximately 33 million residents calling home the capital region is substantial, according to various research.

These hazardous conditions causes high levels of nervous system, cardiovascular and breathing disorders, and can even lead to malignancies.

Air quality crisis is calculated to be causing 10,000 early deaths annually in Delhi.