Apart from biomass burning and vehicular emissions, burning of solid fuel (wood burning) is another factor which is also dangerous for the environmental health of Delhi.
According to the statistics of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the Capital is home for approximately 35 lakh slum people who are primarily dependent on the wood and coal burning for cooking purposes.
Ecologists in the city say that burning waste, especially wood, can produce very high emission of pollutants, potentially affecting the health of household as well as the neighbourhood. “The waste wood often used for cooking can release highly toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the air,” said Gopal Krishna, ecologist, Anti Toxic Watch Alliance (ATWA).
“Using coal and other mineral solid fuels for home heating will usually result in higher emissions of both local air pollutants (such as particles and sulphur dioxide) and carbon dioxide (the greenhouse gas) than an equivalent natural gas fired system. And therefore coal fired heating will normally have a higher environmental impact than gas,” said Krishna.