The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued a public advisory warning residents against burning wood, garbage, or coal in open spaces, citing a significant rise in air pollution across the city. The announcement highlights that many residential complexes, housing societies, and commercial establishments continue to burn waste in bonfires—particularly during cold weather—to provide warmth to security personnel.
According to the notice, the smoke and fumes from these fires are directly contributing to increased levels of hazardous pollutants in the city’s air, including carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). These emissions pose serious health risks, aggravating conditions such as asthma and other respiratory diseases.
The advisory stresses that open burning of waste is strictly prohibited under various environmental regulations, including:
- The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
- The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
- The National Clean Air Program, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (August 25, 2022)
As per these laws, burning of organic matter or waste materials—such as leaves, plastic, and rubber—is considered a punishable offense.
PMC has urged all residents and residential societies to comply with waste management laws and adopt safer practices to protect both environmental and public health. The notice calls for collective responsibility to reduce pollution and maintain Pune’s air quality.