🔗 Share this article

Tuesday brought inhabitants of the planet's dirtiest urban center were faced with inhaling extremely polluted air that was classified as the "severe" level.

Alarming Pollution Readings

Several parts of Delhi recorded an pollution measurement above 500, which represents 10x the healthy threshold recommended by the global health authority.

Particular areas, readings of PM2.5 and PM10 soared to of 1800, representing 15 to 20 times exceeding safe standards.

Firecracker Ban and Current Changes

For the past four years, the government had implemented a complete ban on the sale and use of firecrackers during the Festival of Lights due to their substantial impact to the dangerous haze that blankets the city as the cold season sets in.

Nevertheless in recent months, the current regional government approached the supreme court to request a modification of the ban.

Officials advocated for allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – previously questioned by conservation groups as being only about 30% lower impact – as a balance between "tradition and public health".

Court Ruling and Implementation

Despite concerns of environmental and health campaigners, judges agreed to the proposal, mandating that green firecrackers could be ignited during limited hours throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was extensive flouting of the time restrictions across the capital, with minimal enforcement regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the eco-friendly version.

Numerous air quality sensors throughout the city showed contamination spiking around the night hours to the most severe levels observed during the festival in at least three years.

Regional Consequences

The proliferation of fireworks during the festival also sparked a dispute with adjacent Pakistan, with authorities in Pakistani Punjab province partially attributing declining atmospheric conditions in their urban centers on pollutants coming from across the border following the celebrations.

Long-Standing Pollution Issue

The dangerously high levels of air contamination in the capital have continued as a serious issue for over a decade and a half, with the problem showing no improvement.

Near the festival period, the amount of toxic particulate matter in the air has been documented to shoot up to significantly exceeding the peak levels ever documented in the Chinese city, which was formerly considered as the planet's dirtiest urban center.

Diverse Contamination Factors

The problem in the capital is resulting from a combination of various sources including heavy vehicle emissions, construction debris, construction activities, garbage fires and smoke from crop residue ignition in adjacent areas of neighboring agricultural zones.

In these regions, rural residents illegally set their fields on fire to prepare for next season, generating dangerous smog that remains stagnant over the capital as winter air descends.

Public Health and Financial Consequences

Both financial and medical consequences on the roughly thirty-three million residents living in the capital region is substantial, according to various investigations.

The contaminated air leads to elevated rates of nervous system, cardiovascular and lung disorders, and can potentially cause malignancies.

The pollution is projected to be responsible for ten thousand untimely fatalities per year in Delhi.