The Indian capital is the sixth worst place in the world for pollution, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data.
India is also one of the most polluted country in the world and now its toxic pollution is affecting its neighbours particularly Pakistan, as the Historic Lahore City of Pakistan is also severely affected from severe fog and air pollution having travelled through air from India.
Air pollution in the Indian capital has risen to hazardous levels after firecrackers were set off to celebrate Diwali despite a court ban.
Residents awoke on Thursday to find the city blanketed in a toxic fog.
The Indian Supreme Court had restricted the timeframe for setting off firecrackers to only two hours in the night, but the order was openly flouted.
Diwali, the most important Hindu festival in north India, celebrates the victory of good over evil.
The levels of tiny particulate matter (known as PM 2.5) that enter deep into the lungs reached as high as 999 micrograms per cubic metre in some areas of the capital on Thursday morning, according to reports.
The US embassy tweeted that the air quality measure in Delhi had soared to 526, putting the pollution in the “severe” category and posing a serious health risk to residents.
Last month, the Indian Supreme Court said it wanted to test if banning fireworks would make a difference to Delhi’s air quality, ranked among the worst in the world.
But despite the restrictions and the two-hour deadline on the night of the festival, residents of Delhi continued to burn firecrackers until late.
The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), an emergency government initiative of India to try and improve conditions, has also launched around Delhi. It bans activities like rubbish burning to try and improve air quality.
People took to social media to express their frustration over residents flouting court orders with impunity.
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