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On Tuesday morning residents of this heavily contaminated metropolis encountered exposed to extremely polluted air that was classified as the "critical" category.

Extremely High Pollution Measurements

Several parts of Delhi recorded an pollution measurement over 500, which represents ten times the recommended level recommended by the WHO.

Particular areas, levels of PM2.5 and PM10 reached peaks of 1,800, equating to 15-20x higher than acceptable levels.

Firecracker Ban and New Developments

For the past four years, officials had maintained a comprehensive restriction on the sale and use of firecrackers during Diwali due to their substantial impact to the hazardous pollution that blankets the metropolis as winter approaches.

Yet earlier this year, the current regional administration petitioned the supreme court to seek a easing of the prohibition.

Officials advocated for allowing "green crackers" – previously questioned by conservation groups as being only about 30% lower impact – as a balance between "tradition and environment".

Court Verdict and Implementation

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental activists, judges approved the appeal, mandating that green firecrackers could be ignited during specific periods throughout the festival.

On Monday night, there was considerable flouting of the designated hours across the city, with minimal enforcement regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly variety.

Numerous recording stations throughout the city registered contamination reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst readings observed during the festival in at least three years.

Cross-Border Effects

Extensive ignition of fireworks during Diwali also sparked a controversy with neighbouring Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistan's the Punjab region partially attributing deteriorating atmospheric conditions in the city of Lahore on pollutants coming from neighboring India following the festivities.

Persistent Pollution Issue

The dangerously high concentrations of pollution in the capital have continued as a major problem for over a decade and a half, with the situation continuing to worsen.

Near the festival period, the levels of toxic particulate matter in the environment has been documented to spike to seventy percent above the most severe records ever measured in China's capital, which was previously considered as the globally most contaminated urban center.

Multiple Pollution Sources

The problem in the capital is resulting from a convergence of different contributors including transportation pollution, dust, development work, garbage fires and haze from crop residue ignition in neighbouring states of neighboring agricultural zones.

In these regions, farmers routinely burn crop residue to prepare for next season, generating toxic smog that remains stagnant over the metropolitan area as winter air descends.

Health and Financial Toll

The economic and health toll on the approximately 33 million inhabitants living in the metropolitan zone is enormous, according to multiple studies.

These hazardous conditions causes increased incidence of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing disorders, and can potentially cause malignancies.

The pollution is estimated to be causing ten thousand early deaths each year in Delhi.