🔗 Share this article The megacity Awakens to Toxic Haze Post Festival of Lights On Tuesday morning inhabitants of the world's most polluted city found themselves breathing dangerously toxic air that registered in the "critical" range. Alarming Pollution Levels Several parts of Delhi registered an AQI above 500, which equals a tenfold increase over the recommended limit established by the World Health Organization. Certain monitoring stations, levels of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1800, equating to fifteen to twenty times above acceptable standards. Firecracker Prohibition and New Developments For the past four years, authorities had implemented a total prohibition on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during celebrations due to their substantial impact to the hazardous pollution that blankets the metropolis as colder weather approaches. However recently, the newly elected regional government petitioned the supreme court to request a relaxation of the restrictions. Officials advocated for allowing "green crackers" – which have been questioned by environmental experts as being only about 30% lower impact – as a compromise between "tradition and environment". Court Decision and Reality To the disappointment of environmental and health activists, judicial authorities approved the appeal, stipulating that environmentally conscious fireworks could be used during specific time windows throughout the festival. On Monday night, there was considerable flouting of the time restrictions across the capital, with minimal enforcement regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the supposedly greener type. Several monitoring devices throughout the capital showed contamination spiking around late evening to extremely hazardous readings seen during celebrations in at least recent memory. International Implications The widespread use of firecrackers during the festival also sparked a controversy with neighbouring Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistan's the Punjab region partly blaming worsening air quality in Lahore on hazardous particles traveling from India following the celebrations. Long-Standing Environmental Issue The dangerously high readings of atmospheric toxins in the city have persisted as a significant challenge for more than 15 years, with the condition continuing to worsen. During the festival period, the concentration of toxic particulate matter in the air has been documented to shoot up to seventy percent above the most severe records ever measured in Beijing, which was formerly regarded as the world's most polluted city. Multiple Pollution Contributors The problem in the city is resulting from a combination of multiple factors including automobile exhaust, dust, development work, garbage fires and haze from agricultural fires in neighbouring states of neighboring agricultural zones. Throughout these areas, agricultural workers illegally set their fields on fire to expedite field preparation, generating toxic smog that becomes contained over the capital as winter air sets in. Health and Economic Consequences The economic and health toll on the approximately 33 million inhabitants residing in the Delhi area is significant, according to various research. These hazardous conditions causes elevated rates of neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, and can even lead to cancer. The pollution is projected to be responsible for approximately 10k early deaths each year in the capital.