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Tuesday brought inhabitants of the planet's dirtiest urban center found themselves breathing dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "severe" category.

Alarming Pollution Readings

Several parts of the city showed an air quality index exceeding 500, which translates to ten times the healthy level set by the WHO.

Certain monitoring stations, concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 soared to of 1800, equating to 15 to 20 times higher than safe levels.

Fireworks Prohibition and Current Developments

For the past four years, the government had implemented a total prohibition on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the deadly haze that engulfs the capital as winter begins.

Yet in recent months, the current city leadership petitioned the highest court to seek a easing of the prohibition.

The suggestion was allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – which have been questioned by environmentalists as being only approximately one-third lower impact – as a balance between "cultural practices and public health".

Legal Ruling and Implementation

Despite concerns of medical and ecological advocates, judges agreed to the appeal, specifying that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during specific periods throughout the celebrations.

During the celebrations, there was extensive violation of the regulated periods across the city, with minimal enforcement regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Many air quality sensors throughout Delhi recorded air quality reaching highest levels around midnight to extremely hazardous measurements seen during the festival in at least recent memory.

Regional Implications

The proliferation of firecrackers during the celebrations also sparked a dispute with bordering the neighboring country, with authorities in Pakistani the Punjab region partially attributing deteriorating pollution levels in Lahore on hazardous particles traveling from neighboring India following the events.

Chronic Pollution Problem

Extremely elevated levels of pollution in the capital have remained as a significant issue for over a decade and a half, with the situation continuing to worsen.

Near celebratory seasons, the amount of hazardous airborne contaminants in the environment has been found to shoot up to significantly exceeding the most severe readings ever measured in Beijing, which was previously viewed as the planet's dirtiest metropolis.

Diverse Pollution Contributors

The situation in the city is attributed to a combination of various sources including transportation pollution, dust, development work, waste incineration and haze from crop residue ignition in nearby areas of farming communities.

Throughout these areas, farmers regularly burn crop residue to clear them quickly, producing toxic smog that remains stagnant over the capital as winter air sets in.

Health and Economic Consequences

The economic and health impact on the approximately 33 million residents residing in the capital region is substantial, according to numerous investigations.

These hazardous conditions results in increased incidence of neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, and can result in malignancies.

Air quality crisis is estimated to be responsible for ten thousand premature fatalities each year in Delhi.