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On Tuesday morning residents of this heavily contaminated metropolis were faced with breathing extremely polluted air that fell into the "severe" category.

Record-Breaking Pollution Measurements

Various sections of the capital recorded an pollution measurement over 500, which represents a tenfold increase over the recommended threshold established by the WHO.

Certain monitoring stations, concentrations of toxic particulate matter hit highs of eighteen hundred, amounting to fifteen to twenty times higher than safe standards.

Firecracker Prohibition and New Developments

For the past four years, authorities had enforced a complete ban on the purchase and ignition of fireworks during Diwali due to their major role to the dangerous haze that blankets the capital as colder weather sets in.

However earlier this year, the recently formed regional leadership petitioned the highest court to propose a relaxation of the restrictions.

The suggestion was allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously criticized by conservation groups as being only roughly 30 percent lower impact – as a middle ground between "heritage and ecological concerns".

Court Verdict and Reality

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental advocates, judges approved the proposal, mandating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be ignited during limited time windows throughout the celebrations.

Throughout the festival evening, there was considerable flouting of the designated hours across the capital, with minimal monitoring regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the supposedly greener variety.

Several recording stations throughout the capital showed contamination peaking around midnight to some of the worst readings recorded during celebrations in at least the past three years.

Cross-Border Effects

The widespread use of pyrotechnics during Diwali also triggered a controversy with adjacent the neighboring country, with officials in Pakistan's the Punjab region partially attributing deteriorating pollution levels in the city of Lahore on pollutants originating in India following the events.

Persistent Environmental Issue

Alarmingly severe levels of atmospheric toxins in the city have remained as a serious problem for fifteen-plus years, with the situation gradually deteriorating.

During celebratory seasons, the amount of hazardous particulate matter in the atmosphere has been observed to increase dramatically to seventy percent above the peak levels ever recorded in China's capital, which was once regarded as the planet's dirtiest metropolis.

Multiple Pollution Contributors

This crisis in the capital is resulting from a mix of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, dust, building projects, waste incineration and haze from farm burning in adjacent areas of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, agricultural workers regularly ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, producing toxic haze that then gets trapped over the capital as cooler air sets in.

Medical and Economic Toll

The economic and health consequences on the approximately 33 million inhabitants residing in the capital region is significant, according to various studies.

This pollution causes high levels of neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders, and can result in oncological diseases.

Air quality crisis is estimated to be causing ten thousand untimely deaths per year in the city.