With the air pollution in the Capital increasing, the South Municipal Corporation has banned the burning of green waste in the open. While the ban on the burning waste by the Delhi Government has only been an eye-wash adding to city’s pollution level, the corporation has issued a notice to make Delhi pollution free. “The air pollution is increasing due to regular burning of ground wastes by the citizen at various locations. In various orders courts, Tribunals had already banned burning of leaves, garbage and green waste,” Commissioner of South Delhi Municipal Corporation Puneet Goel said.
The Capital has just one green waste management plant installed at lodhi Garden. With other parks lacking a waste management system, many residents burn waste in the parks. Goel issued a notification banning all dry leaves, horticulture waste, house hold waste, garbage and such other waste. Goel said all the officials, Zonal D.C.s and employees will take action against the defaulters as per provisions of law. Goel also appealed all the citizens and RWAs to come forward and help in environment protection by banning this act.
In 2012, the Delhi Government had banned burning of biomass amid rising air pollution. In similar view, many courts discouraged the unscientific disposal of biomass but the situation on ground remains unchanged. An emissions inventory prepared by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) under the ministry of earth sciences, shows burning of biomass within 50km of Delhi increases emissions by at least 15 per cent.