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Fireworks on the roof of a New Delhi building on October 27, 2019 during the Festival of Lights. REUTERS / Altaf Hussain

New Delhi suffocates this Monday, October 28 after the Diwali celebrations. Despite anti-pollution measures, the Indian capital is once again invaded by fine particles after Sunday night's party.

With our correspondent in Bangalore, Como Bastin

It's a feast with sulfur smell. As every year, the Diwali celebrations, the festival of Indian lights, blew up pollution levels in the Indian capital New Delhi.

Again at 200 a few days ago, the pollution index was running Monday morning around 400 micrograms per fine particles per cubic meter of air. These levels are considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as very dangerous for the health of the inhabitants.

The municipality had taken significant steps to prevent this atmospheric disaster. First a phased anti-pollution plan, but it was thwarted by agricultural burning around New Delhi.

Then, the ban of conventional firecrackers in favor of "ecological" firecrackers supposed to be 30% less polluting. But their excessive price and limited quantity slowed their use during the Sunday night party.

The story is repeating itself even if the level of pollution should fall again in the coming days thanks to strong winds, promises the National Institute of Meteorology.