Why Delhi must tackle its own fires first

While attention turns to crop residue burning in neighbouring states, Delhi needs to confront the unchecked fires occurring within the national capital throughout the year. In 2024 alone, Delhi recorded nearly 5,000 fire incidents linked to open waste burning, the highest since 2020. The burning of solid fuel like firewood, coal and dung cakes for residential heating and cooking is among the most prominent contributors to Delhi's air pollution, exposing the most vulnerable of the population to the dirtiest air. Someone in an AC car can escape tailpipe fumes, but a woman cooking on a chulha or a worker walking past a dumpster fire cannot. Tackling these localised sources will not only help to clean Delhi's air but also make its kitchens and neighbourhoods healthier.

Open burning causes sharp spikes in local pollution levels, which are rarely captured by ambient air quality monitors due to their limited monitoring coverage. Delhi generates around 11,850 metric tonnes of waste daily, of which 36 per cent remains unprocessed - often burnt or dumped in one of three landfills or openly across the city. Recognising this, both the Centre and the state have rolled out several measures over the last decade.

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has expanded waste segregation and processing, while the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has provided clean cooking fuel access to 103 million households. The Delhi government has also imposed a strict ban on waste burning, alongside plans to deploy over 440 enforcement teams for round-the-clock monitoring and a winter action plan that includes distributing heaters to 1,400 resident welfare associations to discourage biomass burning by guards during winter nights. It also plans to expand waste-processing infrastructure by 2028. These are important steps, but their enforcement, coverage and coordination must now deepen to produce measurable improvements in air quality.

According to an analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), residential emissions contribute 6-13 per cent and open waste burning 3-10 per cent to Delhi's total PM2.5 - the dominant pollutant. The numbers vary primarily due to the multiple emission inventories available for Delhi. A concerted three-year effort could cut these emissions by 60 per cent, translating to an 8.4 µg/m³ reduction in annual PM2.5 levels, enough to shift many winter days from the "severe" to the "moderate" category.

First, through 2025, map and manage ward-level hotspots. The Delhi government must begin hyperlocal mapping across all 265 wards to identify burning and dumping hotspots. Data from field surveys and citizen-reporting platforms such as SAMEER, Green Delhi and the MCD311 app should be integrated to locate chronic problem sites. Once identified, a challenge-root cause-solution (CRS) approach to develop customised, long-term, ward-level no-burn plans must replace quick-fix clean-ups that merely shift burning from one location to another. For example, to address the challenge of open waste burning, a ward lacking waste collection infrastructure needs new routes and bins, while another where staff burn waste out of negligence needs awareness campaigns, capacity building and enforcement. In short, fit localised solutions to localised problems.

Second, enforce responsibility among bulk waste generators. Large establishments - residential complexes, malls and restaurants - produce 30-40 per cent of the total waste generated by Delhi, each producing over 100 kg of solid waste per day. The municipal corporation has mandated its registration on the Bulk Waste Generator portal through the MCD311 app, but compliance remains weak. To maximise the portal's impact, reduce dumping and burning, and meet the requirements under Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the government should identify these bulk generators, make registration mandatory for building permissions, and cover 50% of the cost of setting up in-situ waste management facilities to support all bulk waste generators initially. By the end of 2026, all bulk generators should process their waste internally or face penalties linked to property tax rebates and trade licences.

Third, scale up clean waste processing and bioremediation. As Delhi expands its centralised waste processing capacity, it must prioritise biomethanation over thermal incineration. Decentralised composting centres and biomethanation plants can process segregated organic waste closer to where it is generated, cutting both methane and particulate emissions. Simultaneously, the bioremediation of the three legacy dumpsites - Bhalswa, Okhla, and Ghazipur - must be completed by 2027 to eliminate fires that smoulder for months. Both of these efforts are well aligned with central schemes and missions, and are financially supported by GOBARdhan and SBM 2.0, respectively.

Finally, eliminate solid fuel use for cooking and heating. Awareness campaigns about PMUY should be aimed at eligible residents in non-notified areas, slum areas, and migrant populations, such as construction workers. A winter subsidy of Rs 150 per cylinder for PMUY beneficiaries could incentivise sustained LPG use when fuel costs rise. Complementary incentives, such as vouchers for induction cooktops and cookware, would accelerate the transition to a cleaner cooking stack. These measures will not only reduce emissions but also improve public health outcomes for women and children most exposed to household smoke.

Delhi's ongoing battle for cleaner air demands sustained, bold, multidimensional efforts that are both consistent and collaborative. Combating residential and open waste burning emissions demands a combination of data-driven planning, citizen participation and social protection for those most affected. Curbing local burning represents one of Delhi's most direct and achievable pathways to cleaner air. With sustained action, the city could deliver not just a visible change in its skyline but a tangible improvement in every citizen's quality of life in the next three years.

With inputs from Abhishek Kar. Views are personal.