Air Action Hub urges PMC to curb nighttime bonfires 

In the wake of growing air pollution in winter and the burning of bonfires adding to it, city-based Pune Air Action Hub of Parisar has written to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) urging it to issue directions to societies and property owners who employ night staff. These bonfires sometimes burn for the entire night, and it is known that air pollutants are trapped close to the ground level when temperatures decrease. Burning in the night or early morning only adds to this already concentrated air pollution when most people go for morning walks, children go to schools and colleges and adults to work. 

Shweta Vernekar, senior programme associate, Parisar said, “PMC should have to give directions that if the security guards are found to be burning waste for warmth, the societies/property owners will be fined for the offence of open waste burning as per the Maharashtra State Solid Waste Management Bye Laws, July 2019.” 

The letter emphasises the need for a circular from PMC to property owners and societies, instructing them to provide an enclosed cabin for night staff or security guards, appropriate winter clothing such as sweaters, mufflers, caps, socks, blankets, or shawls to protect them from the cold, and electric heaters to ensure their comfort during winter nights. 

Recently, in Delhi, it has been made mandatory to provide electric heaters to construction workers to avoid waste burning during winter. A recommendation for resident welfare associations to provide such heaters was already made by the Delhi government last year.  

In its letter, Parisar also stressed that, if the security guards are found to be burning waste for warmth, the societies/property owners ought to be fined for the offence of open waste burning as per the Maharashtra state solid waste management laws, July 2019. 

The letter suggested that there is a need to educate the security guards on the health impact of exposing themselves to smoke from burning fires when the air quality is already so bad. 

Raja Subramani, a resident of Lunkad Heritage, Vimanngar said, “Our security personnel have been provided with warm clothing/blankets and a cubby hole to protect from cold winds. Many security personnel lit bonfires late in the night and one can find the charred remains in the morning.” 

Anuradha Lokapur, a resident of Shefali Society in Bhosalenagar said, “Air pollution is aggravated by garbage burning where PMC needs to pay attention and issue clear directives to housing societies.”