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As Tuesday dawned residents of this heavily contaminated metropolis found themselves exposed to dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "alarming" range.

Extremely High Pollution Levels

Multiple areas of Delhi showed an pollution measurement over 500, which translates to 10x the healthy threshold set by the global health authority.

In some locations, levels of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1800, representing fifteen to twenty times higher than safe standards.

Pyrotechnics Prohibition and Current Policy Shifts

For the past four years, authorities had enforced a comprehensive restriction on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the dangerous smog that blankets the metropolis as the cold season approaches.

Yet earlier this year, the newly elected regional government approached the judicial authority to request a relaxation of the prohibition.

The suggestion was allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously criticized by conservation groups as being only roughly 30 percent reduced emissions – as a middle ground between "heritage and public health".

Legal Ruling and Reality

Despite concerns of environmental and health advocates, judges approved the proposal, mandating that environmentally conscious fireworks could be ignited during designated time windows throughout the festival.

During the celebrations, there was widespread flouting of the time restrictions across the capital, with insufficient enforcement regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the supposedly greener type.

Numerous monitoring devices throughout the capital showed pollution spiking around late evening to the most severe levels recorded during Diwali in at least the past three years.

Cross-Border Consequences

Extensive ignition of firecrackers during the celebrations also triggered a dispute with bordering Pakistan, with officials in Pakistan's Punjab partially attributing worsening pollution levels in the city of Lahore on hazardous particles originating in India following the celebrations.

Chronic Environmental Problem

Alarmingly severe concentrations of atmospheric toxins in the capital have remained as a serious challenge for fifteen-plus years, with the condition continuing to worsen.

Near Diwali, the concentration of hazardous airborne contaminants in the atmosphere has been found to spike to significantly exceeding the worst readings ever recorded in the Chinese city, which was previously considered as the planet's dirtiest metropolis.

Various Pollution Contributors

This crisis in the city is attributed to a combination of different contributors including transportation pollution, airborne particles, construction activities, rubbish burning and pollutants from agricultural fires in neighbouring areas of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, agricultural workers routinely burn crop residue to prepare for next season, generating hazardous smog that becomes contained over the city as colder air arrives.

Health and Financial Impact

Public health and economic impact on the approximately 33 million inhabitants living in the capital region is enormous, according to numerous research.

This pollution leads to high levels of nervous system, heart and circulatory and lung conditions, and can even lead to oncological diseases.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be causing 10,000 premature mortalities each year in the city.