As temp dips, bonfires add to Delhi’s pollution

NEW DELHI: As temperatures fall across north India, including Delhi, instances of open fires started by people in an attempt to keep warm have also started rising, prompting pollution control agencies in the Capital to direct municipal agencies to form special teams to keep a check on these fires, and limit their contribution to the worsening of Delhi’s air quality.

Senior officials of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said that it received 67 complaints of open fires between December 12 and 22 on the government’s Green Delhi app, as compared to 21 cases reported between December 1 and 10. Officials said though most of the cases were of garbage burning, instances of small localised fires to ward off the cold also featured in the list.

Officials said these instances have increased, especially over the last five-six days when temperatures across north India plunged, with many cities recording a cold wave.

“Apart from the complaints that we are receiving, our own patrolling teams have also started noticing a rise in these local fires. As the temperatures are dropping, in many localities, people are lighting localised fires to keep themselves warm. While the intensity of these fires may be small, when the numbers increase, its impact on pollution increases,” said a senior DPCC official.

The official said that along with their own patrolling teams, the municipal agencies in the city — North, South and East Delhi municipal corporations — have also been directed to keep a close watch on these fires.