Rekha Gupta said that the district administration and the MCD can impose a fine of up to ₹5,000 on anyone found burning garbage in the open.
With air pollution concerns mounting in the national capital, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced that authorities have been asked to ensure a complete ban on open burning. Besides, a strict ban has been imposed on the use of coal and firewood in tandoors across all hotels, restaurants and open eateries in Delhi.
The chief minister also said that the district administration and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) can impose a fine of up to ₹5,000 on anyone found burning garbage in the open. “We humbly request all citizens not to burn waste in the open. Your small cooperation can bring about a big change,” Gupta said in a tweet.
दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण के हर छोटे-बड़े स्रोत पर नियंत्रण के लिए हम निरंतर प्रयासरत हैं।
इसी कड़ी में पर्यावरण विभाग को सख्त निर्देश दिए गए हैं कि ओपन बर्निंग पर पूर्ण प्रतिबंध सुनिश्चित किया जाए।
जिला प्रशासन एवं दिल्ली नगर निगम को यह अधिकार प्रदान किया गया है कि खुले में… pic.twitter.com/uOyLseFzfB
— Rekha Gupta (@gupta_rekha) December 9, 2025
AQI improves, but stays ‘poor’
The measures came in the backdrop of alarming pollution levels in the city, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovering in the ‘very poor’ category for days now. The air quality improved slightly on Tuesday with an AQI of 291 in the “poor” category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. However, health concerns over alarming pollution levels remain in the city.
Similar AQI readings were seen across Delhi on Wednesday morning – 283 in Bawana, 264 in Alipur, 313 in Jahangirpuri, 272 in Burari Crossing, 280 in Punjabi Bagh and 298 in Anand Vihar, among others.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Tuesday issued under Section 31(A) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, banning the use of coal or firewood in tandoors across eateries in Delhi.