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As Tuesday dawned citizens of the planet's dirtiest urban center found themselves exposed to dangerously toxic air that was classified as the "alarming" level.

Extremely High Pollution Levels

Multiple areas of the capital registered an air quality index exceeding 500, which translates to 10x the recommended limit established by the WHO.

In some locations, levels of PM2.5 and PM10 reached peaks of eighteen hundred, equating to 15 to 20 times above acceptable standards.

Fireworks Prohibition and Recent Policy Shifts

For the past four years, officials had implemented a total prohibition on the purchase and ignition of fireworks during the Festival of Lights due to their substantial impact to the deadly pollution that covers the city as the cold season sets in.

Yet recently, the newly elected regional leadership appealed to the supreme court to seek a easing of the restrictions.

They proposed allowing "eco-friendly fireworks" – historically criticized by environmentalists as being only about 30% lower impact – as a balance between "cultural practices and public health".

Court Verdict and Implementation

Much to the frustration of environmental and health campaigners, the court approved the appeal, specifying that environmentally conscious fireworks could be ignited during specific hours throughout the Diwali.

On Monday night, there was considerable disregard of the designated hours across the capital, with minimal regulation regarding whether the fireworks being used were actually the more environmentally friendly variety.

Many air quality sensors throughout the capital showed contamination reaching highest levels around the night hours to the most severe measurements observed during the festival in at least recent memory.

Cross-Border Effects

The proliferation of pyrotechnics during the festival also sparked a controversy with neighbouring Pakistan, with officials in Pakistani Punjab partially attributing worsening atmospheric conditions in their urban centers on hazardous particles coming from across the border following the festivities.

Chronic Pollution Issue

Alarmingly severe concentrations of pollution in the capital have persisted as a serious challenge for more than 15 years, with the problem showing no improvement.

Around the festival period, the amount of dangerous particles in the environment has been documented to increase dramatically to 70% higher the most severe readings ever measured in Beijing, which was once regarded as the planet's dirtiest city.

Various Pollution Sources

This crisis in the city is resulting from a combination of different contributors including heavy vehicle emissions, airborne particles, construction activities, rubbish burning and smoke from crop residue ignition in nearby regions of neighboring agricultural zones.

Within these states, rural residents regularly burn crop residue to clear them quickly, creating toxic smog that then gets trapped over the city as colder air descends.

Health and Economic Consequences

Public health and economic impact on the nearly 33 million people residing in the capital region is significant, according to various investigations.

The contaminated air results in increased incidence of nervous system, heart and circulatory and lung disorders, and can potentially cause malignancies.

Environmental contamination is projected to be causing approximately 10k early fatalities annually in the capital.