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On Tuesday morning inhabitants of the world's most polluted city encountered exposed to dangerously toxic air that registered in the "alarming" range.

Record-Breaking Pollution Measurements

Multiple areas of the city recorded an pollution measurement exceeding 500, which represents 10x the recommended level established by the WHO.

In some locations, concentrations of dangerous airborne particles hit highs of 1,800, equating to 15-20x higher than acceptable limits.

Firecracker Restrictions and New Policy Shifts

For the past four years, authorities had maintained a total prohibition on the distribution and bursting of firecrackers during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the dangerous pollution that blankets the metropolis as the cold season begins.

Nevertheless earlier this year, the recently formed local government approached the supreme court to seek a easing of the prohibition.

Officials advocated for allowing "green crackers" – which have been doubted by environmentalists as being only about 30% lower impact – as a middle ground between "heritage and environment".

Court Decision and Enforcement

Much to the frustration of public health and environmental activists, judicial authorities agreed to the proposal, mandating that environmentally conscious fireworks could be used during designated hours throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was considerable flouting of the designated hours across the metropolis, with insufficient monitoring regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the eco-friendly type.

Many recording stations throughout the city registered air quality peaking around midnight to the most severe measurements recorded during the festival in at least three years.

Regional Effects

The proliferation of firecrackers during the festival also initiated a dispute with bordering Pakistan, with officials in Pakistan's Punjab partially attributing worsening air quality in their urban centers on pollutants traveling from neighboring India following the events.

Persistent Pollution Crisis

The dangerously high concentrations of air contamination in the capital have remained as a significant problem for over a decade and a half, with the situation showing no improvement.

Near celebratory seasons, the levels of toxic particulate matter in the atmosphere has been found to increase dramatically to seventy percent above the most severe readings ever documented in China's capital, which was once viewed as the globally most contaminated city.

Various Pollution Contributors

This crisis in the capital is resulting from a combination of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, construction activities, garbage fires and haze from farm burning in nearby areas of neighboring agricultural zones.

Within these states, farmers regularly ignite agricultural waste to prepare for next season, creating hazardous haze that becomes contained over the capital as colder air sets in.

Health and Financial Toll

Public health and economic toll on the nearly 33 million inhabitants living in the metropolitan zone is significant, according to numerous studies.

These hazardous conditions results in high levels of nervous system, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and can result in malignancies.

Environmental contamination is calculated to be responsible for 10,000 early deaths annually in the city.