🔗 Share this article

As Tuesday dawned inhabitants of this heavily contaminated metropolis encountered inhaling dangerously toxic air that fell into the "severe" category.

Record-Breaking Pollution Readings

Multiple areas of the capital recorded an pollution measurement above 500, which translates to a tenfold increase over the recommended threshold recommended by the global health authority.

In some locations, readings of dangerous airborne particles hit highs of 1,800, equating to 15 to 20 times exceeding safe limits.

Pyrotechnics Ban and New Developments

For the past four years, officials had maintained a total prohibition on the sale and use of firecrackers during the Festival of Lights due to their significant contribution to the dangerous smog that covers the city as colder weather begins.

Yet recently, the newly elected city leadership approached the supreme court to seek a relaxation of the prohibition.

Officials advocated for allowing "green crackers" – historically questioned by environmentalists as being only approximately one-third lower impact – as a compromise between "heritage and ecological concerns".

Court Verdict and Reality

To the disappointment of environmental and health activists, the court complied with the proposal, stipulating that green firecrackers could be used during limited hours throughout the festival.

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

Many air quality sensors throughout the capital recorded air quality reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst measurements seen during Diwali in at least the past three years.

International Effects

The widespread use of fireworks during Diwali also sparked a blame game with adjacent Pakistan, with officials in Pakistan's the Punjab region partly blaming declining pollution levels in the city of Lahore on pollutants coming from neighboring India following the celebrations.

Persistent Environmental Issue

Alarmingly severe levels of atmospheric toxins in Delhi have continued as a serious issue for fifteen-plus years, with the problem gradually deteriorating.

Around Diwali, the amount of dangerous airborne contaminants in the environment has been documented to shoot up to significantly exceeding the peak levels ever documented in the Chinese city, which was formerly regarded as the globally most contaminated urban center.

Multiple Contamination Sources

This crisis in the city is caused by a combination of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, construction debris, development work, waste incineration and haze from farm burning in nearby states of farming communities.

Throughout these areas, agricultural workers regularly set their fields on fire to expedite field preparation, creating dangerous haze that remains stagnant over the capital as cooler air descends.

Public Health and Economic Impact

Both financial and medical toll on the nearly 33 million residents living in the Delhi area is enormous, according to multiple studies.

These hazardous conditions causes high levels of nervous system, cardiovascular and lung disorders, and can potentially cause oncological diseases.

Environmental contamination is projected to be accounting for 10,000 untimely deaths each year in Delhi.