The Commission for Air Quality Management has issued statutory directions to control air pollution from biomass burning and incidents of fire at Sanitary Landfill and dump sites in Delhi-NCR. CAQM has asked the Urban Local Bodies and other concerned agencies in NCR to identify, categorize, demarcate and assess the fire risk of all Sanitary Landfills and dump sites in the region. For the management of waste at sanitary landfills and dump sites and the prevention of fire incidents, the Commission has also asked the agencies to install CCTV cameras and appropriate fencing arrangements at sites. It emphasized conducting regular mock drills, including quarterly audits for fire safety and hazardous emissions. It also directed for the regular patrolling by enforcement teams towards prevention and control of open burning of Municipal Solid Waste.
The Commission also asked to incorporate the regular capacity-building programmes for sanitation staff to enhance their skills and knowledge in the processing and handling of municipal solid waste. CAQM further instructed the Haryana and Punjab governments to mandate the use of paddy straw-based biomass pellets in all brick kilns located in the districts beyond NCR, as one of the means towards elimination of the practice of open paddy stubble burning.