Gurugram, March 24, 2026 – Gurgaon First today convened a crucial multi-stakeholder meeting to address the persistent issue of waste burning and its severe impact on air quality and public health in the city.

Welcoming participants, Shubhra Puri, Founder, Gurgaon First, highlighted the urgency of the issue. She noted that air pollution in Gurugram is no longer a seasonal concern limited to winters but has evolved into a year-round challenge. “The burning of mixed waste releases a deadly cocktail of pollutants, posing grave health risks to all citizens. Despite regulations and penalties, waste burning continues unabated,” she said.

“In rapidly expanding cities like Gurugram, unchecked burning in inner-city and peripheral areas demands urgent, coordinated action from all stakeholders. says Sree Kumar Kumaraswamy, Program Director, Clear Air Action, WRI India.

The discussion brought attention to key underlying causes, including frequent administrative changes that disrupt enforcement continuity, and the ease with which waste is disposed of through burning—often both overtly and covertly. It was also noted that waste burning tends to increase when landfills are under pressure.

Participants emphasised that segregation of waste at source remains the only sustainable long-term solution, supported by strong enforcement, behavioural change, and increased public awareness.

 Gurgaon First collaborated with WRI India to conduct a “going-in” study to better understand the local challenges and identify actionable solutions.

The workshop was designed to be inclusive and participatory, bringing together experts, officials, resident welfare associations, and concerned citizens. In addition to waste burning, the discussions also briefly addressed the management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

The Panelist were Joint Commissioner, MCG Dr Naresh Kumar as well as MCG Councillors Jyoti Sumit Zaildar (ward No 18), Jyotsna Vipin Yadav (ward no 2) , Vikas Yadav (Ward no 22) and Kunal Yadav (ward No 23).There were other distingued speakers including Sreekumar Kumaraswamy, Program Director, Clean Air Action at WRI India,  Dr. Shyamala Mani, Senior Adviser (WASH and Waste Management) at Centre for Chronic Disease Control, and former professor at the National Institute of Urban Affairs and Bhawani Shankar Tripathy, Founding Member of JAFRA, one of Gurugram’s oldest and largest RWAs.

It has been seen that cities where the pressure on landfill where mixed waste is dumped are prone to waste burning. So the bottomline is waste segregation and decentralised waste management.WRI India is actively addressing waste burning issue over the past seven years, beginning its efforts in Surat and expanding to other cities like Indore, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Agra, Gorakhpur, and Gurugram.

The meeting concluded with a call for collective responsibility and sustained collaboration among citizens, administration, and civil society to eliminate waste burning and improve air quality in Gurugram.

About Gurgaon First
Gurgaon First is a citizen-led initiative focused on sustainability, good governance, and community engagement to build a more inclusive and liveable Gurugram. It conducts workshops and roundtables and handbooks. Know more- gurgaonfirst.org

About WRI India

WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being. Know more: wri-india.org