Despite BBMP ban, burning of dry leaves continues

By Yashaswini Sri

Though March is technically spring, it feels like summer. One comes across pit fires with fumes as one walks down the streets of Bengaluru.

Cases of burning dry leaves in the city have spiked despite BBMP imposing a fine of Rs 5 lakh or five-year imprisonment for those who do so. The Observer found piles of dried leaves burning in Malleswaram, Kadugodi, Kumbalgodu and several other areas.

The Hindu reported that instances of burning waste, particularly dry leaves and dry waste, have been increasing in the city.

According to the information provided by control room of the Fire and Emergency Services, between January 1 and March 16, 2021, it received 1,021 fire complaints, most of which pertaining to garbage, grass/leaves and other waste being set on fire.

Shahina Babu, 46, a pourakarmika working under BBMP, said: “Until recently, most of the pourakarmikas I know used to burn dry leaves and other wet waste together in order to save some work and time. Even now,

“ leaves are great sources for bio-fuel, and burning them up is just wasting a great deal of potential. When you gather dry leaves to set them on fire, chances are there will be plastic, paper, etc., in the pile because they are not segregated. The burning of dry leaves releases carbon monoxide, which significantly contributes to air pollution.”

He continued: “We as a society are disconnected from nature. We need to bring environmental sensitivity to society. There are many alternatives to burning leaves. We can either compost the leaves or let them naturally decompose.”

A report in the Deccan Herald said that according to Section 19(5) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the state government imposed (when?) a complete ban on burning of solid waste in open places within the jurisdiction of all urban local bodies and in solid waste landfill sites. The penalty for garbage burning is Rs 1,0002,000 for the first time and Rs 5,000 for the second time.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has said 12 per cent of the air pollu-

I think if we had more ways to clear up dry leaves faster or have more processing plants to dispose of, us (pourakarmikas) will not opt to burn dry leaves.

-Shahina Babu, pourakar-

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Development should not burden citizens

While it is important to have an expressway to make commuting easy, the citizens must be made aware of the rates well before the authorities start collecting toll. Randomly increasing bus fares is going to financially burden passengers. The authorities should be more mindful.

Arsha BS

Don’t cut trees, find sustainable ways

Cutting trees for flyovers will raise the temperature of the city. It’s worrisome that Bengaluru has lost so much of its green cover. It’s the middle of March, and summer has already started. We have to find sustainable ways instead of cutting down trees for any kind of development.

Ananth

Men killing partners has become normal Indian society is encountering a rise in relationship related crimes. The cruelty of the Aftab-Shraddha case made us feel as if the ground under our feet is slipping. Then the Nikki Yadav- Sahil Gehlot case made us question the liv-in culture. Recently, a man in Bengaluru pushed her partner from the fourth floor. Such cases are becoming rampant and shaking our belief in humanity.

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IT’S A HEALTH HAZARD

l Leaf smoke contains hazardous chemicals including carbon monoxide, which can bind haemoglobin and reduce the amount of oxygen in blood.

Dry leaves are great sources for bio-fuel, and burning them up is just wasting a great deal of potential. Gather dry leaves and segregate them.

-Ullash Kumar, environmental researcher they do so. However, the BBMP has framed strict rules that prohibits this action.”

Her co-worker Fathima F shared a similar experience: “Not many days ago, I heard from a staff worker about an incident where BBMP found a pourakarmika burning piles of dry leaves. Incidents like this happen every day in every nook and corner of the city. Currently, you will find a lot of dry leaves everywhere. It is a tedious task for anyone to clean them up and dispose of them at a processing plant as instructed by BBMP.”

The Bangalore Mirror reported that residents across Bengaluru find huge piles of dry leaves swept up in corners of the road. These are set on fire by miscreants; sometimes pourakarmikas themselves contribute to air pollution by burning dry leaves.

According to a News Minute report, in spite of the rules, garbage burning continues unabat-

As Bengaluru sees a rise in incidents of burning of dry leaves, according to the KSPCB, 12% of air pollution in the city is due to the burning of garbage and leaves. To curb the increase, BBMP is imposing penalties on offenders.| Yashaswini Sri ed in the city. A crowd-sourced map by Jhatkaa.org showed that garbage burning is still happening in at least 40 wards in the city. The organization invited citizens to report instances of garbage burning.

Dr K. Vinod, a consultant pulmonologist who practises at Rajarajeshwari Nagar, said: “Burning leaves releases harmful toxins into the environment, especially carbon monoxide.

When inhaled, they get absorbed into the blood and blend with haemoglobin. This reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. It can also cause an increased risk of asthma and carbon monoxide poisoning. Another toxin that is released while burning dry leaves is benzopyrenes, are known to be the cause cancer.”

Ullash Kumar, an environmental researcher, said: “Dry l Benzo (a) pyrene, a chemical present in leaf smoke can cause cancer. l Inhaling leaf smoke can cause irritation in eyes, nose and throat. l Burning leaves also pose a threat to the environment. tion in Bengaluru is due to the burning of garbage and leaves.

Santosh Kumar Kaddi, an official from BBMP’s Solid Waste Management department, denied any instances of burning dry leaves. “We strictly compost dry waste, especially dry leaves. Waste segregation is also done in accordance with this issue. If anyone files a complaint that they have witnessed someone burning dry leaves, a health inspector will impose a penalty of Rs 100 that can go up to Rs 500.”

Jayprakash B, an Assistant Scientist Officer in KSPCB, said that when compared to other metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad, stubble burning/ burning of dry leaves has a lower contribution to Bengaluru’s air quality index. “While we focus on vehicular emissions only, we have always asked the BBMP to come up with better measures to combat this issue.” yashaswini.s@iijnm.org

Quiz

1. Which of the following river originates as well as ends in the territory of India?

2. Which of the following river is known as Dakshina Ganga?

3. Indira Sagar Dam located in Madhya Pradesh is built on which of the following river?

4. Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, located in Karnataka is built on which of the following river?

5. Which of the following river is the home for freshwater dolphins?

6. On which of the following river Ajmer is situated?

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