Move to stop garbage burning up in smoke

Hyderabad: Garbage burning and dumping in street corners is on the rise in Hyderabad. Though it is illegal and GHMC imposes heavy penalties for the same, but denizens are found brazenly violating rules. Kondapur, Gachibowli, Biodiversity Park, Manikonda, Uppal, Nagole and Balanagar are the worst affected areas.

To curb the garbage burning, the Telangana State government banned garbage in 2017 and it's been over two years, but there is no change observed in burning of waste. None of the garbage collector who indulges in burning of garbage has been fined for the violation of rules.

Speaking on the issue, Ravi, GHMC Dy Commissioner, says that there is a spike in number of garbage burning cases in the city, especially in IT corridor and the Industrial areas. Last month GHMC collected Rs 3,83,000 penalties for dumping the garbage on roadside and Rs 1,10,000 for burning of waste in open, he added.

Garbage contractors after collecting bulk waste from apartments are also often dumping the waste on unused roads and setting it on fire, say residents of Gajulramaram, Kukatpally.

In urban cities, burning of leaf litter and garbage is the most common issue affecting health of the citizens and contributing toxic air to the pollution. It is the third biggest contributor to greenhouse emissions in India. GHMC waste collectors violate the norms as they are never fined, says Abhay Joshi, a social activist.

Even though lakhs of fines are collected, cases of burning continue to be reported in the city. This could only change if GHMC takes action against its own staff indulging in garbage dumping in open burning it, said Michael, a techie from Gachibowli.