India's capital Awakens to Toxic Smog After Diwali

As Tuesday dawned inhabitants of the world's most polluted city encountered inhaling dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "critical" level.

Extremely High Air Quality Readings

Various sections of the capital showed an air quality index above 500, which translates to a tenfold increase over the recommended level established by the global health authority.

Particular areas, concentrations of toxic particulate matter hit highs of eighteen hundred, equating to fifteen to twenty times above safe standards.

Firecracker Ban and Current Developments

For the past four years, the government had enforced a total prohibition on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the deadly smog that covers the capital as winter sets in.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the recently formed regional leadership appealed to the supreme court to request a relaxation of the prohibition.

They proposed allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – which have been criticized by environmentalists as being only roughly 30 percent lower impact – as a compromise between "cultural practices and environment".

Judicial Decision and Enforcement

Despite concerns of medical and ecological campaigners, the court complied with the request, mandating that green firecrackers could be ignited during specific periods throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was widespread violation of the time restrictions across the capital, with insufficient regulation regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Several air quality sensors throughout Delhi registered pollution peaking around midnight to the most severe readings seen during Diwali in at least the past three years.

Regional Consequences

Extensive ignition of pyrotechnics during the celebrations also sparked a controversy with adjacent the neighboring country, with officials in Pakistan's the Punjab region pointing to declining pollution levels in their urban centers on pollutants coming from neighboring India following the festivities.

Chronic Pollution Problem

Extremely elevated readings of pollution in the capital have persisted as a major issue for more than 15 years, with the problem showing no improvement.

Near the festival period, the concentration of toxic particulate matter in the atmosphere has been found to spike to significantly exceeding the most severe levels ever recorded in China's capital, which was previously viewed as the planet's dirtiest city.

Diverse Pollution Sources

The situation in Delhi is caused by a mix of multiple factors including heavy vehicle emissions, dust, building projects, rubbish burning and haze from farm burning in adjacent states of neighboring agricultural zones.

Throughout these areas, rural residents regularly ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, generating dangerous smog that becomes contained over the metropolitan area as colder air sets in.

Public Health and Economic Toll

Public health and economic impact on the approximately 33 million inhabitants living in the metropolitan zone is substantial, according to multiple investigations.

The contaminated air leads to elevated rates of nervous system, cardiovascular and lung diseases, and can even lead to oncological diseases.

The pollution is calculated to be causing ten thousand early deaths each year in the capital.