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As Tuesday dawned residents of the world's most polluted city found themselves exposed to dangerously toxic air that registered in the "alarming" range.

Record-Breaking Pollution Measurements

Multiple areas of the city recorded an AQI above 500, which equals 10x the safe level established by the WHO.

Particular areas, levels of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1,800, representing 15-20x higher than safe limits.

Firecracker Ban and New Changes

For the past four years, officials had implemented a total prohibition on the sale and use of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their significant contribution to the dangerous smog that covers the city as the cold season approaches.

However in recent months, the newly elected local administration appealed to the supreme court to seek a relaxation of the prohibition.

The suggestion was allowing "environmentally conscious pyrotechnics" – historically questioned by environmentalists as being only about 30% reduced emissions – as a middle ground between "heritage and public health".

Legal Decision and Enforcement

To the disappointment of medical and ecological activists, judicial authorities agreed to the appeal, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during limited periods throughout the celebrations.

During the celebrations, there was extensive violation of the time restrictions across the city, with insufficient enforcement regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the supposedly greener version.

Several recording stations throughout the city registered pollution peaking around the night hours to the most severe readings observed during the festival in at least three years.

International Effects

Extensive ignition of pyrotechnics during the celebrations also sparked a controversy with adjacent Pakistan, with authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province pointing to worsening atmospheric conditions in Lahore on hazardous particles traveling from across the border following the celebrations.

Chronic Pollution Problem

Alarmingly severe levels of atmospheric toxins in the city have continued as a major issue for more than 15 years, with the situation showing no improvement.

Near the festival period, the levels of hazardous particulate matter in the air has been observed to increase dramatically to significantly exceeding the peak levels ever recorded in the Chinese city, which was previously viewed as the world's most polluted city.

Diverse Contamination Factors

This crisis in the capital is caused by a combination of different contributors including transportation pollution, dust, development work, rubbish burning and haze from crop residue ignition in nearby regions of farming communities.

Within these states, farmers routinely ignite agricultural waste to expedite field preparation, creating toxic smog that then gets trapped over the metropolitan area as winter air sets in.

Health and Economic Consequences

Public health and economic consequences on the approximately 33 million residents residing in the capital region is significant, according to multiple research.

This pollution causes increased incidence of neurological, heart and circulatory and respiratory diseases, and can potentially cause malignancies.

Air quality crisis is calculated to be causing ten thousand premature mortalities annually in the capital.