Greater Noida residents flag burning garbage, dry leaves incidents

According to residents, the smoke and foul smell emerging due to these open burning has become a regular nuisance, posing health risks

GREATER NOIDA: Residents across several parts of Greater Noida, including Knowledge Park 3, Sakipur, Omicron and Beta 2, have raised concerns over recurring incidents of garbage and dry leaves burning in open areas.

“We are conducting enforcement drives and action is being taken wherever violations are found. Bulk waste generators, agencies and establishments have been directed to ensure scientific disposal and processing of waste instead of burning it in open spaces, as such incidents also affect nearby residential areas and air quality,” said Greater Noida authority’s additional chief executive officer Shrilakshmi VS in a statement on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

According to residents, the smoke and foul smell emerging due to these open burning has become a regular nuisance, posing health risks.

Several residents claimed that heaps of horticulture waste and garbage are often set on fire in vacant plots, near parks and roadside areas, especially during early mornings and evenings.

Locals said the smoke frequently spreads into nearby residential societies, causing panic and breathing discomfort.

“Recently, local mandi workers set fire to garbage. On noticing the thick smoke, many residents in the nearby high-rises felt some major fire had broken out, only later realising that it was actually garbage that was being burnt,” Roopesh, a resident, Roopesh, posted on social media while sharing visuals from Omicron area.

Talking to HT on Wednesday, residents from Knowledge Park 3 also flagged similar incidents in recent weeks.

Many complained of a persistent burning smell in the area during morning and evening hours. “I witnessed horticulture waste being burnt inside a park in Knowledge Park 3. This has become a constant issue as residents frequently spot garbage and leaves being burnt in parks and open areas,” said Harendra Singh, a resident.

People living near Sakipur and Omicron alleged such incidents increase during dry weather conditions when leaves and horticulture waste accumulate in open spaces.

Resident welfare groups and apartment federations also demanded strict enforcement against open burning, saying the issue is becoming a recurring environmental and public health concern across several sectors.

“Frequent horticulture waste burning in public parks and around residential societies is not just an environmental violation, it is a direct attack on the health of our senior citizens and children. Despite clear NGT guidelines and repeated orders, the practice continues unchecked due to lack of monitoring and accountability,” said Nikhil Singhal, president of Noida HighRise Federation.

Authorities should ensure scientific processing of green waste instead of allowing open burning, he added.

Environmental experts have repeatedly warned that open burning of waste and leaves releases harmful pollutants, including particulate matter and toxic gases, which can aggravate respiratory illnesses and deteriorate air quality.

On Wednesday, Greater Noida recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 145 while it was 195 on Tuesday, with PM10 emerging as the prominent pollutant.

Greater Noida authority officials, however, maintained that enforcement action is being intensified over public complaints in several sectors.

Officials from the authority’s public health department said inspection and monitoring drives were being conducted in areas where such incidents were frequently reported. Citing one incident in Ecotech-11, they said, a company operating in Ecotech-11 was recently penalised over waste burning. “A team inspected the spot on Sunday. During inspection, waste burning linked to an electric mobility company was found and a penalty of ₹1.16 lakh was imposed,” said a health department official.

Greater Noida authority’s additional chief executive officer Shrilakshmi VS in a statement on Wednesday said that open burning of garbage, dry leaves and horticulture waste was not permitted under solid waste management rules and violators would face action. “We are conducting enforcement drives and action is being taken wherever violations are found. Bulk waste generators, agencies and establishments have been directed to ensure scientific disposal and processing of waste instead of burning it in open spaces, as such incidents also affect nearby residential areas and air quality,” she said.