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On Tuesday morning residents of the world's most polluted city found themselves breathing severely hazardous air that registered in the "severe" category.

Alarming Pollution Levels

Various sections of the city registered an air quality index above 500, which translates to ten times the healthy limit set by the WHO.

Particular areas, readings of PM2.5 and PM10 reached peaks of 1,800, equating to 15 to 20 times above healthy levels.

Firecracker Restrictions and New Policy Shifts

For the past four years, authorities had implemented a total prohibition on the purchase and ignition of pyrotechnics during celebrations due to their major role to the dangerous smog that blankets the metropolis as the cold season begins.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the newly elected regional leadership appealed to the supreme court to seek a modification of the restrictions.

They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically criticized by conservation groups as being only approximately one-third lower impact – as a compromise between "heritage and public health".

Judicial Decision and Implementation

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental activists, the court approved the proposal, stipulating that environmentally conscious fireworks could be used during designated periods throughout the Diwali.

During the celebrations, there was widespread violation of the regulated periods across the metropolis, with little regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the more environmentally friendly variety.

Numerous recording stations throughout the city showed contamination spiking around midnight to the most severe readings recorded during celebrations in at least three years.

Cross-Border Consequences

Extensive ignition of pyrotechnics during Diwali also initiated a dispute with neighbouring Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistan's the Punjab region pointing to deteriorating pollution levels in their urban centers on hazardous particles traveling from across the border following the festivities.

Long-Standing Environmental Problem

Alarmingly severe concentrations of pollution in the capital have remained as a major issue for more than 15 years, with the problem showing no improvement.

Around celebratory seasons, the levels of dangerous particulate matter in the environment has been documented to shoot up to 70% higher the peak records ever measured in Beijing, which was formerly considered as the world's most polluted city.

Various Contamination Contributors

This crisis in the capital is attributed to a convergence of different contributors including transportation pollution, construction debris, building projects, garbage fires and pollutants from farm burning in adjacent areas of farming communities.

Within these states, agricultural workers routinely ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, creating dangerous pollution that then gets trapped over the city as colder air sets in.

Public Health and Economic Impact

Public health and economic toll on the nearly 33 million residents residing in the metropolitan zone is significant, according to various investigations.

These hazardous conditions leads to increased incidence of nervous system, heart and circulatory and respiratory diseases, and can result in malignancies.

Environmental contamination is projected to be causing approximately 10k early deaths each year in Delhi.