‘Amid pollution pangs, 10K electric heaters to be distributed’: CM Gupta

New Delhi: In a bid to curb pollution caused by the burning of coal and wood during winter, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday announced that the government will distribute 10,000 electric heaters to Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and security personnel across the city.

Speaking at an event at the Open Amphitheatre, Delhi Haat, Pitampura, where she launched the initiative along with Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the chief minister said the move is part of the government’s broader efforts to reduce local emissions during peak winter months.

“In Delhi’s war against pollution, the government has taken another positive step. Coal and wood combustion are among the sources of Delhi’s pollution. To reduce that, we have decided to distribute 10,000 electric heaters to RWAs and will request people not to burn wood and cause pollution,” Gupta said.

She emphasised that public participation is crucial for the success of the initiative. “Every resident of Delhi has to contribute to this effort. We will connect every RWA with this initiative and felicitate those who perform well,” she said.

Gupta added that the government will encourage RWAs and residents across all blocks to adopt cleaner heating practices and ensure that wood burning is discouraged.

“Until the people of Delhi participate, we will not be able to achieve complete success. We are confident that RWAs will help bring down pollution levels,” she said.

While addressing representatives of RWAs, CM Gupta said, “While open fires increase pollution, electric heaters provide a safe, clean, and practical alternative. This small step can also prove to be a major help in pollution control.”

She said that the government is working in mission mode on all fronts, giving topmost priority to pollution control.

“Mountains of garbage are continuously decreasing, cleanliness and tree plantation campaigns are ongoing without interruption, road water sprinkling and mechanical sweeping have been made more effective,” she said.

Along with this, the installation of smog towers and monitoring of pollution-spreading vehicles and industrial units are also being continuously strengthened. Pollution control in Delhi is our resolve, our responsibility, and our priority, she said.