CAQM identifies 20 waste dumping, burning violations in Central Delhi
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Saturday identified 20 instances of municipal solid waste (MSW) dumping and biomass or waste burning during an evening inspection drive in Central Delhi. The inspection found persistent local pollution sources despite existing prohibitions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
The violations were detected during a three-hour inspection conducted between 5 pm and 8 pm under CAQM’s ongoing enforcement initiative, ‘Operation Clean Air’. The drive focused on Karol Bagh and Rajinder Nagar to assess ground-level compliance with statutory directions aimed at preventing open dumping and burning of waste, both of which significantly contribute to air pollution, especially during evening and night hours.
According to the consolidated inspection reports, the CAQM flying squads recorded 20 incidents across the inspected areas. Out of these, two involved active biomass or MSW burning, while 18 were related to open dumping of municipal waste. The Commission noted that burning was largely being carried out for heating purposes. In several locations, dumped MSW was found mixed with construction and demolition (C&D) waste, raising the risk of further burning and worsening air quality.
Five members of the CAQM Flying Squad carried out extensive field inspections and documented violations using geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs. These were compiled into detailed reports and submitted to the Commission for further action.
Several violation hotspots were identified in the Karol Bagh area. These included Guru Ravidas Marg near Ahobila Sri Lakshmi Temple and Patel Nagar East Post Office; Vishnu Mandir Marg outside The Suncourt Hotel Yatri; Krishna Nagar near the crossing of Ganga Mandir Marg and Hardhyan Singh Road; Ganga Mandir Marg near Shri Goma Ram Sablaniya Chauk; Gurudwara Road near Obsession Carpet Store and the SBI cash deposit machine; and the Gali No. 6 crossing on Ganga Mandir Marg. At these locations, inspectors observed both waste dumping and waste burning. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was identified as the concerned agency responsible for waste management in these areas.
Following the inspection, CAQM issued directions to the MCD and other concerned agencies to ensure that municipal solid waste and gardening waste are not stored or dumped along roads, pavements, or vehicle movement corridors. The Commission directed that waste must be lifted promptly and transported only to authorised disposal or processing sites.
The MCD was also asked to strictly enforce prohibitory instructions against unauthorised dumping and open burning, prevent recurrence of such practices, and impose penalties on violators. Immediate removal of accumulated waste from identified locations has been mandated to reduce the risk of burning and secondary dust generation.
CAQM further flagged repeated violations of open dumping and open burning across MCD jurisdictions, citing continued complaints that point to systemic enforcement gaps and non-compliance with statutory directions mandating zero tolerance towards MSW and biomass burning. The Commission stressed that such practices remain a significant contributor to local air pollution in Delhi.
