Garbage burning

Sir,

Garbage burning has become a burning problem in our city. I endorse the views of B.V.Shenoy (SOM dated Apr.5) but just having printed rules and regulations is not going to help. A vast majority does not even know there are rules for many things.

We have read press releases that burning trash will amount to fines but Pourakarmikas seem to have not been educated or warned about this. Most Pourakar-mikas burn the garbage everywhere. The other thing they do is to sweep the heap into the newly-built 'storm water drains' !

The Pourakarmikas are not in a state to understand if we tell that burning garbage is poisonous and dangerous. If you try to make them understand that burning is not permitted and that the smoke is poisonous, they make you lose temper! Who is to address them? To whom will the public complain?

At present, there are tonnes of fallen flowers from Peltophorum (copperpod) trees all over the city. Instead of just taking the swept-up flowers (and other plastic trash which invariably get mixed up) to a certain place for the trucks to pick up, the Pourakarmikas light a match to each little pile. Since the flowers are only half dry, they keep smoking for hours on end filling the air with toxins. The residents in the vici-nity are fed with toxic air. Who is to prevent them from burning?

In winter, it is the problem of burning the dry leaves. The rest of the days throughout the year, plastic is a common item for burning. Many business outlets throw out and burn their once-used carbon sheets and other unwanted packing material. The automobile upholsters contribute to the trash with pieces of rexine etc. The automobile radium sticker/sunfilms' shops contribute their plastic waste. A chemical packing unit also dumps and burns its wastes. What is the use of rules here?

In my case, our house is bearing the brunt of the burnt trash from all the above. For more than a decade, despite my protests, the dirty act persists.

The residents of one house do not bother even if their neighbours suffer from MCC's trash-burning-treatment on the street. The accompanying picture is from our locality. Notice the smoke. Stench cannot be seen! Someone has lit the pile in an attempt to reduce the whole load to ashes! The container is supposed to be replaced everyday! This is the state of affairs in a locality where high rates of taxes are collected by the MCC. Should we not stop paying taxes until a clean atmosphere is facilitated in the entire neighbourhood?

Another picture is of a trash collection point in Switzerland. They have neatly tied up the trash bags and kept in the allotted place from where a truck would arrive and pick them up and there would be no way it skips the trip. Compare this with the other picture!

Where the 'West' must be imitated, we do not, and where we should not, we do!

— K.R.Dinakar

Vani Vilas Road, Lakshmipuram

7.4.2011

Wake up, Pollution Control Board!

Sir,

Instead of transporting city's garbage to landfills, MCC workers continue to burn garbage on every street (see photo). Needless to say, this is causing terrible pollution and releasing dangerous gases such as dioxin into the atmosphere. Since the garbage is piled up next to the nearest compound, the burning also causes disfigurement and damage to compound. If there is no nearby compound, the garbage is lit next to a roadside tree, causing irreparable damage to the tree.

The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 came into effect in 2001 itself. All municipal bodies must compulsorily follow these rules. According to Schedule II of the Rules, burning of garbage and dry leaves is forbidden. Any violation of the provision of the MSW Rules, 2000 attracts the penal provision of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. According to Sec. 15 of the Act, each violation of the Rules is punishable with imprisonment of upto five years and/or a fine of upto Rs. 1 lakh or with both, and in case the violation continues, with additional fine of upto Rs. 5000 per day.

Even though these Rules have been in effect for nearly ten years, it is shocking that MCC is still burning garbage. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board which is in charge of enforcing these Rules should take serious note of the violations and throw the book at MCC officials for their continued callousness.

—B.V. Shenoy, Mysore Grahakara Parishat

Mysore

2.4.2011