🔗 Share this article

As Tuesday dawned inhabitants of this heavily contaminated metropolis found themselves exposed to extremely polluted air that fell into the "critical" level.

Record-Breaking Air Quality Measurements

Several parts of Delhi showed an air quality index exceeding 500, which equals a tenfold increase over the healthy level recommended by the WHO.

In some locations, concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 hit highs of 1,800, representing 15-20x above healthy standards.

Fireworks Prohibition and Recent Developments

Since 2020, the government had implemented a complete ban on the distribution and bursting of fireworks during the Festival of Lights due to their major role to the hazardous pollution that blankets the metropolis as the cold season begins.

However in recent months, the newly elected city leadership appealed to the supreme court to propose a relaxation of the ban.

The suggestion was allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically doubted by environmentalists as being only roughly 30 percent lower impact – as a middle ground between "heritage and ecological concerns".

Court Ruling and Reality

Despite concerns of medical and ecological activists, judicial authorities approved the request, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be used during limited time windows throughout the festival.

Throughout the festival evening, there was widespread flouting of the time restrictions across the capital, with insufficient monitoring regarding whether the firecrackers being used were actually the supposedly greener version.

Numerous recording stations throughout the capital recorded air quality reaching highest levels around late evening to some of the worst readings recorded during Diwali in at least the past three years.

Cross-Border Implications

The proliferation of fireworks during Diwali also triggered a dispute with adjacent the neighboring country, with authorities in Pakistani the Punjab region partially attributing worsening pollution levels in the city of Lahore on hazardous particles traveling from neighboring India following the events.

Long-Standing Environmental Problem

Alarmingly severe levels of air contamination in the city have remained as a major problem for over a decade and a half, with the problem showing no improvement.

Near Diwali, the concentration of toxic particles in the environment has been documented to shoot up to significantly exceeding the worst readings ever measured in China's capital, which was previously viewed as the globally most contaminated city.

Multiple Pollution Contributors

The situation in the city is caused by a mix of various sources including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, development work, waste incineration and pollutants from agricultural fires in adjacent areas of Punjab and Haryana.

Within these states, agricultural workers illegally ignite agricultural waste to prepare for next season, producing toxic haze that then gets trapped over the capital as winter air arrives.

Public Health and Financial Consequences

Both financial and medical impact on the nearly 33 million people living in the Delhi area is enormous, according to numerous investigations.

This pollution results in increased incidence of nervous system, cardiovascular and breathing conditions, and can result in oncological diseases.

The pollution is estimated to be accounting for approximately 10k premature mortalities each year in Delhi.