Winter Chill Bites Delhi as Promised Electric Heaters for RWAs Remain Undelivered

Three months after the Delhi government pledged to distribute 3,000 electric heaters to Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) across the city, none have reached their destinations as temperatures dip to a chilly 8.7°C. The initiative, aimed at reducing harmful winter air pollution caused by open burning of wood and waste, was announced by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa in September as part of a broader anti-pollution strategy. However, residents’ groups and RWAs complain they have received no heaters or even official communication about distribution plans.

In neighbourhoods like Rajinder Nagar, security guards and domestic workers continue resorting to lighting small fires to keep warm, despite makeshift wooden cabins constructed to shield them from the cold. Arvind Mehta, chief of the local residents’ forum, voiced frustration over the missing heaters and other pollution-control measures, noting the absence of dust suppression systems and smog guns that keep pollution high even in greener zones. Many RWAs question the scheme’s practicality, pointing out that only a few colonies have enclosed guard rooms with electricity connections necessary for the heaters to function.

Saurabh Gandhi, secretary of United Residents of Delhi, expressed doubts on the feasibility of the plan, highlighting challenges such as multiple guards per RWA and insufficient infrastructure. “Where will one heater suffice for 25 guards?” he asked. Several RWAs also lament the lack of timely instructions or clarity on how and when the heaters will be allocated. Attempts to obtain comments from the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), charged with overseeing procurement and distribution, were unsuccessful.

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The failure to deliver this first-of-its-kind intervention to curb wintertime open fires raises concerns about implementation gaps in Delhi’s ambitious pollution control efforts. The electric heaters project is part of a multi-layered approach that includes stubble burning controls and landfill site management, aimed at tackling the city’s notorious air quality challenges. Minister Sirsa had described the initiative as a “landmark moment” intending to reduce open fires and encourage behavioural change among residents and workers.

With winter setting in full force, the continued burning of biomass by workers threatens to exacerbate Delhi’s hazardous air pollution levels, endangering public health. Residents and environmentalists alike hope that the government will expedite the delivery of promised heaters and establish clearer guidelines to ensure effective and fair distribution before the coldest months deepen.

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