The Delhi government has issued a stringent directive making resident welfare associations (RWAs), housing societies, and all public and private entities legally accountable if any person working under their authority is found indulging in open burning. The order, dated December 25, aims to tackle a significant source of winter air pollution in the national capital.
Strict Mandate for Heating Arrangements and Supervision
The directive explicitly states that these bodies are responsible for providing adequate heating arrangements, such as electric heaters, to staff engaged in security, sanitation, horticulture, and other miscellaneous services. It strictly prohibits the open burning of biomass, leaves, municipal solid waste, plastic, rubber, or any other combustible material for heating or any other purpose.
The environment department has emphasized that entities must ensure effective supervision and monitoring to prevent such incidents. The directions are effective immediately and will remain in force throughout the winter or as long as adverse air quality conditions persist.
Legal Penalties and Ground Realities
Any violation will be punishable under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had earlier stated on December 10 that district administrations and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) could impose fines of up to Rs 5,000 for open burning. This aligns with the anti-pollution Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
However, the order has faced practical criticism. Atul Goyal, President of United Residents Joint Action, called the mandate for RWAs to distribute heaters to guards impractical, especially in plotted colonies. "We cannot provide heating points on each road of the colony," Goyal stated, highlighting implementation challenges.
The Impact of Local Biomass Burning
The crackdown addresses a proven local pollution source. A real-time source apportionment study by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee and IIT Kanpur found that the share of biomass burning—including wood, dung, and agricultural residue—contributed to 24% of pollution from November 2022 to January 29, 2023.
Another IIT Delhi study in 2021 indicated that winter haze episodes in January are highly affected by emissions from local burning of wood, coal, or roadside waste for heating or cooking. Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at thinktank EnviroCatalyst, warned that small heating fires across the city are hazardous for workers and residents, particularly at society gates with high footfall.
The government's move signifies a shift towards holding local authorities directly responsible for curbing micro-level pollution sources during Delhi's critical winter air quality crisis.
