- By Akansha Pandey
- Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:51 AM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
The capital has been shrouded in a blanket of pollution for several days, leading to severe health issues for residents, including burning eyes and coughing. People are resorting to wearing masks before leaving home, but the pollution continues to plague them.
Despite the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) being in effect in Delhi-NCR, its restrictions are being openly flouted in the Yamunapar area. Garbage is being burned in various places, and while people are struggling to breathe, the corporation and administration appear powerless.
The fire department is receiving 10 calls daily regarding garbage fires in the Yamunapar area. The issue has been reported in several locations, including Seelampur, Shastri Park, Usmanpur, Geeta Colony, Mayur Vihar, Ghazipur, Sabhapur, Sonia Vihar, Mustafabad, Dilshad Garden and Jagatpuri.
The situation in Delhi is already very poor due to pollution, and when garbage is burned, people living nearby are unable to breathe properly. In Seelampur, garbage is reportedly being burned right next to a traffic police booth, yet this does not seem to bother the police personnel.
Local residents claim the government is only implementing GRAP on paper and that government departments are nowhere to be seen on the ground. They state that no action is being taken against those burning garbage, leading to a deepening respiratory crisis.
"Those Who Burn Garbage Should Be Sent To Jail"
Dr Anil Goyal, a member of the CPCB and DPCC, labeled the act a legal offense. "Whoever is burning garbage should be put in jail. They are suffocating people, which means they want to kill them," he stated.
Dr Goyal explained that pollution is of two types: natural (dust, storms) and human-made. He classified burning garbage, which also contains plastic, as human-spread pollution that is "very harmful to nature as well as to humans." He advocated for a case to be registered against anyone burning garbage, whether a government employee or a private citizen, and for them to be jailed.
Corporation Response
Ramkishore Sharma, Chairman of the Shahdara South Zone, stated, "The corporation is serious about pollution. Action is being taken against those causing pollution. People also need to understand the pollution situation in Delhi. They should not burn garbage."