India, May 16 -- More than 37 percent of the 1,006 open burnings recorded across Delhi from December 2025 to April 2026 were set simply to clear accumulated garbage, according to a study by the Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group released on Friday.

"Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and waste contributes to over 10% of the overall levels. Our first study, conducted from December 2025 to April this year, looked at 1,006 unique burning incidents across Delhi's 128 wards. It found that open burning is a city-wide systemic norm rather than a localised anomaly," said Bharati Chaturvedi, Chintan founder and director.

The study shows that the Malka Ganj and Said-Ul-Ajaib wards each recorded 34 incidents during...