The megacity Awakens to Dangerous Haze Following Celebrations
Tuesday brought residents of the planet's dirtiest urban center were faced with breathing dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "critical" level.
Extremely High Air Quality Readings
Multiple areas of Delhi recorded an AQI above 500, which translates to a tenfold increase over the recommended level set by the WHO.
In some locations, readings of PM2.5 and PM10 hit highs of 1800, equating to 15-20x higher than safe levels.
Firecracker Ban and Recent Changes
For the past four years, authorities had enforced a complete ban on the purchase and ignition of firecrackers during celebrations due to their substantial impact to the hazardous smog that blankets the metropolis as the cold season begins.
Yet in recent months, the newly elected local government approached the highest court to propose a easing of the prohibition.
They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically criticized by environmental experts as being only about 30% less polluting – as a compromise between "cultural practices and environment".
Legal Ruling and Enforcement
Much to the frustration of medical and ecological advocates, judges agreed to the appeal, stipulating that eco-friendly pyrotechnics could be ignited during limited hours throughout the Diwali.
On Monday night, there was widespread violation of the designated hours across the capital, with little regulation regarding whether the pyrotechnics being used were actually the supposedly greener type.
Many recording stations throughout Delhi registered air quality peaking around the night hours to extremely hazardous levels seen during the festival in at least recent memory.
Cross-Border Consequences
The proliferation of fireworks during Diwali also triggered a dispute with bordering Pakistan, with representatives in Pakistan's Punjab pointing to worsening air quality in the city of Lahore on pollutants coming from India following the festivities.
Chronic Pollution Crisis
Alarmingly severe levels of pollution in the city have continued as a significant problem for more than 15 years, with the problem showing no improvement.
Around the festival period, the concentration of dangerous particulate matter in the air has been found to increase dramatically to significantly exceeding the peak records ever recorded in the Chinese city, which was formerly viewed as the globally most contaminated metropolis.
Various Contamination Sources
The situation in Delhi is resulting from a mix of various sources including automobile exhaust, airborne particles, development work, rubbish burning and haze from crop residue ignition in neighbouring regions of Punjab and Haryana.
Within these states, rural residents regularly ignite agricultural waste to prepare for next season, generating toxic pollution that then gets trapped over the city as colder air descends.
Health and Financial Impact
Both financial and medical toll on the nearly 33 million residents calling home the Delhi area is substantial, according to various investigations.
These hazardous conditions causes elevated rates of neurological, cardiovascular and breathing diseases, and can potentially cause malignancies.
The pollution is estimated to be responsible for 10,000 early deaths each year in Delhi.
