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As Tuesday dawned citizens of this heavily contaminated metropolis found themselves inhaling severely hazardous air that was classified as the "severe" range.

Alarming Pollution Measurements

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

In some locations, readings of PM2.5 and PM10 soared to of 1,800, amounting to 15-20x higher than safe standards.

Pyrotechnics Prohibition and Current Developments

For the past four years, officials had maintained a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali due to their major role to the hazardous pollution that engulfs the metropolis as colder weather approaches.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the recently formed local leadership approached the highest court to propose a easing of the ban.

Officials advocated for allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – which have been questioned by environmentalists as being only roughly 30 percent less polluting – as a balance between "heritage and public health".

Court Verdict and Implementation

Much to the frustration of environmental and health advocates, judges complied with the proposal, specifying that green firecrackers could be set off during specific periods throughout the celebrations.

During the celebrations, there was widespread flouting of the designated hours across the city, with little regulation regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Many recording stations throughout the city registered contamination reaching highest levels around midnight to the most severe readings recorded during Diwali in at least the past three years.

Cross-Border Effects

The proliferation of fireworks during the festival also initiated a controversy with neighbouring Pakistan, with officials in Pakistan's the Punjab region partially attributing worsening pollution levels in Lahore on pollutants traveling from neighboring India following the festivities.

Chronic Environmental Problem

Alarmingly severe readings of atmospheric toxins in the capital have persisted as a significant issue for over a decade and a half, with the situation continuing to worsen.

During the festival period, the concentration of hazardous particles in the air has been documented to shoot up to seventy percent above the most severe levels ever recorded in China's capital, which was previously considered as the world's most polluted metropolis.

Multiple Pollution Sources

The problem in the capital is caused by a mix of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, development work, garbage fires and pollutants from crop residue ignition in nearby areas of Punjab and Haryana.

In these regions, rural residents routinely burn crop residue to prepare for next season, producing toxic pollution that becomes contained over the metropolitan area as winter air arrives.

Health and Economic Toll

Both financial and medical impact on the nearly 33 million residents residing in the capital region is substantial, according to various investigations.

These hazardous conditions causes increased incidence of neurological, heart and circulatory and respiratory diseases, and can potentially cause oncological diseases.

Environmental contamination is estimated to be accounting for ten thousand premature deaths each year in Delhi.