India, March 29 -- A cloud of smoke laced with the stench of burnt plastic and metal frequently rises over Sector 50, shrouding the neighbouring residential areas of Nirvana Country, Mayfield Gardens and Close Apartments in a toxic haze. This isn't an isolated incident- it's a recurring crisis. Residents allege that fires erupt every few days in the vicinity, triggered by the unchecked burning of horticulture, municipal and scrap waste. Despite more than a decade of documentation, petitions, citizen activism and official orders, including repeated imposition of Section 144, the problem persists.

The health impact of this "silent killer" is palpable. "We take 24,000 breaths a day. If they're filled with pollutants from burning e-waste, pl...