🔗 Share this article India's capital Rises to Dangerous Pollution After Diwali On Tuesday morning residents of the planet's dirtiest urban center encountered inhaling dangerously toxic air that registered in the "alarming" level. Extremely High Air Quality Levels Multiple areas of the city recorded an pollution measurement over 500, which equals ten times the recommended threshold set by the WHO. Particular areas, readings of toxic particulate matter reached peaks of 1800, amounting to 15-20x higher than healthy limits. Fireworks Prohibition and New Developments For the past four years, officials had implemented a comprehensive restriction on the purchase and ignition of pyrotechnics during Diwali due to their major role to the deadly haze that blankets the metropolis as the cold season approaches. Nevertheless earlier this year, the current city leadership appealed to the supreme court to propose a relaxation of the prohibition. The suggestion was allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously criticized by conservation groups as being only about 30% reduced emissions – as a middle ground between "cultural practices and public health". Judicial Verdict and Reality Much to the frustration of medical and ecological activists, judicial authorities complied with the request, specifying that environmentally conscious fireworks could be ignited during designated hours throughout the Diwali. During the celebrations, there was widespread flouting of the regulated periods across the metropolis, with insufficient enforcement regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the more environmentally friendly type. Numerous air quality sensors throughout Delhi recorded air quality spiking around the night hours to extremely hazardous readings seen during celebrations in at least the past three years. International Effects Extensive ignition of fireworks during the festival also initiated a controversy with adjacent Pakistan, with authorities in Pakistani Punjab pointing to deteriorating pollution levels in the city of Lahore on contaminants originating in India following the festivities. Long-Standing Pollution Crisis Extremely elevated levels of atmospheric toxins in the capital have continued as a serious issue for more than 15 years, with the problem gradually deteriorating. During celebratory seasons, the levels of hazardous particles in the air has been observed to spike to seventy percent above the worst records ever recorded in the Chinese city, which was previously regarded as the planet's dirtiest metropolis. Diverse Pollution Sources The situation in the city is caused by a combination of different contributors including transportation pollution, airborne particles, building projects, rubbish burning and haze from agricultural fires in nearby states of Punjab and Haryana. Throughout these areas, agricultural workers regularly ignite agricultural waste to prepare for next season, creating dangerous smog that remains stagnant over the capital as colder air sets in. Health and Financial Impact Both financial and medical toll on the approximately 33 million inhabitants living in the metropolitan zone is significant, according to multiple studies. The contaminated air causes increased incidence of neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, and can potentially cause cancer. The pollution is projected to be responsible for approximately 10k premature deaths annually in the city.