š Share this article Delhi Wakes Up to Hazardous Smog Following Celebrations On Tuesday morning citizens of the planet's dirtiest urban center were faced with breathing extremely polluted air that was classified as the "alarming" range. Extremely High Air Quality Readings Multiple areas of Delhi showed an pollution measurement exceeding 500, which equals a tenfold increase over the healthy level set by the WHO. Particular areas, levels of toxic particulate matter hit highs of 1,800, representing fifteen to twenty times higher than acceptable levels. Pyrotechnics Prohibition and Recent Policy Shifts Since 2020, the government had enforced a comprehensive restriction on the distribution and bursting of fireworks during celebrations due to their substantial impact to the deadly smog that covers the metropolis as the cold season approaches. Yet in recent months, the newly elected local government appealed to the highest court to propose a relaxation of the prohibition. Officials advocated for allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" ā historically doubted by conservation groups as being only approximately one-third less polluting ā as a balance between "tradition and public health". Legal Ruling and Reality Despite concerns of environmental and health advocates, judges complied with the proposal, specifying that green firecrackers could be used during specific time windows throughout the Diwali. Throughout the festival evening, there was considerable disregard of the designated hours across the metropolis, with minimal monitoring regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the eco-friendly variety. Numerous air quality sensors throughout Delhi recorded air quality spiking around midnight to extremely hazardous measurements observed during the festival in at least the past three years. Regional Implications Extensive ignition of pyrotechnics during the festival also initiated a dispute with neighbouring the neighboring country, with authorities in Pakistani the Punjab region pointing to declining pollution levels in their urban centers on pollutants coming from India following the festivities. Persistent Environmental Crisis The dangerously high levels of air contamination in the city have remained as a major issue for fifteen-plus years, with the condition gradually deteriorating. Around celebratory seasons, the levels of hazardous particles in the atmosphere has been documented to spike to significantly exceeding the worst records ever documented in China's capital, which was once considered as the planet's dirtiest city. Diverse Contamination Contributors This crisis in the city is attributed to a mix of various sources including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, building projects, rubbish burning and pollutants from farm burning in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana. In these regions, agricultural workers illegally burn crop residue to clear them quickly, producing dangerous haze that remains stagnant over the city as winter air sets in. Health and Financial Consequences Public health and economic consequences on the approximately 33 million inhabitants living in the metropolitan zone is significant, according to numerous studies. This pollution results in increased incidence of nervous system, heart and circulatory and lung diseases, and can result in malignancies. The pollution is projected to be responsible for ten thousand untimely mortalities each year in the capital.