Hyderabad: Garbage burning rampant in city as ban goes up in smoke

Hyderabad: Though burning of garbage is illegal in the city and even after GHMC imposing heavy penalties for the same, the burning of garbage in open continues unabatedly leading to an increasing level in air pollution and a threat of causing major fire accidents. With the temperature rising, people fear that burning of garbage in open may also lead to major fire accidents, breathing issues and loss of environment. Both the denizens as well as sanitation workers of the GHMC are found throwing the rules out in the smoke.

Residents in the city urged the sanitation wing of GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) to control the burning of garbage and clear trash for garbage points in a timely period.

Burning garbage was witnessed in areas like Miyapur, Kondapur, Gachibowli, Manikonda, Uppal, Nagole, Balanagar, Yousufguda, Kukatptally, Amberpet, Chaderghat, Malakpet, Saidabad, Santosh Nagar, Yakutpura and various areas across the city. However, to curb this activity, the Telangana government banned burning garbage in 2017, but no one seems to follow the rules.

Social activist Mohammed Abdul Rahman said that burning garbage is a crime in Telangana and a fine up to Rs 25,000 can be imposed for the same. However, because municipal garbage collection vehicles do not pick up the trash regularly, the corporation's own staff itself is burning garbage in open areas.

The activist further pointed out that garbage burning would be catastrophic to the atmosphere, as the black smoke emanating from it could be health hazardous and can cause chronic ailments like cancer.

According to the Telangana State Pollution Control Board, garbage burning invites a penalty of fine up to Rs 25,000. Activists urged the board to strictly impose penalty as now apart from denizens the GHMC staff is also indulged in this activity.

Few residents of Miyapur said that after collecting bulk waste from apartments, the garbage contractors are also often dumping the waste on unused roads and setting it on fire.

Residents and activists alleged that instead of picking up garbage, the sanitation workers are burning it leading to an increase in air pollution. "In recent times, the city has witnessed back to back massive fire accidents. And both residents and GHMC workers with their lackadaisical attitude lit fire in the waste," said Shivashankar, a resident of Miyapur.

In most of the incidents while burning garbage, the fire department was rushed to douse the fire. "Few days back in Old city, a sanitation worker lit fire in the garbage which later spread and turned massive. We alerted the fire department before something serious happened. A fire tender rushed to the spot and dozed off the flames," said Mohammed Ahmed, a resident of Himmatpura.

Meanwhile, in an unusual case, the Miyapur police registered a case for burning trash in Matrusri Nagar. Based on a complaint from Vinay Vangala, a social activist, the Miyapur police filed a FIR and took action against garbage burning.

He said, "Waste burning is a burning issue. This issue is massively prevalent in the city. They are unaware that they are endangering not only the environment but also their fellow residents."