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The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) motioned a complete ban on the 9th of December with immediate effect on the use of coal and firewood tandoors as well as all forms of open burning since the city recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) of ‘severe’ levels. Commercial food establishments like hotels, restaurants, streetside eateries and dhabas have been asked to stop coal-based cooking that was cited as one of the key contributors to localised air pollution. Issued under section 31 (A) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1981 and the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the order mandates shifting to exclusively using electric, gas-based or other approved clean-fuel cooking systems.
Officials shared that the measure was already listed as part of the GRAP devised to cut down emissions during high pollution phases. They also mentioned that controlling local sources of pollution and protecting public health was essential given the gravity of the air quality in Delhi. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also authorised the district administrations and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to impose fines of ₹5,000 for violators. A tweet posted by her said, ‘We humbly request all citizens not to burn waste in the open. Your small cooperation can bring about a big change.’ Inspections will also be conducted by senior officials and municipal bodies visiting restaurants and eateries and stop the use of any fuels enlisted in the revised GRAP order of November 2023 and approved by the the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in June 2022.
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The directive has been stated as applicable to eateries of all types, leaving vendors scrambling to make alternate arrangements or exclude tandoori dishes from menus altogether. Part of a broader strategy to enforce anti-pollution norms concerning the burning of solid fuels, data collected by the officials stated that traditional tandoors relying on coal and firewood for heat, release significant amounts of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) directly into the local environment. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other electric options have been suggested as acceptable alternatives, despite implementation being challenging. Although industrial emissions and vehicular traffic have also been attributed as major contributors to the crisis, traditional tandoors add to the pollution load locally in commerical and residential areas.
