Lack of proper garden waste disposal system leads to garbage burning & health hazards

PUNE In the past three months, over 178 cases of garbage burning have been reported in the city as the PMC’s garden waste collection does not have a proper disposal system

PUNE In the past three months, over 178 cases of garbage burning have been reported in the city as the PMC’s garden waste collection does not have a proper disposal system. Garden waste disposal followed by burning of garden waste including dry leaves is evident mainly during summer due to the high rate at which trees shed dry leaves. The PMC currently has no system in place to collect and dispose of dry garden waste which often leads to the public burning of this waste.

In the past three months, over 178 cases of garbage burning have been reported in the city as the PMC’s garden waste collection does not have a proper disposal system. (HT FILE PHOTO)

From January till March 26, 2022, the city saw a rising number of incidents with regards to garbage burning as reported by the fire department. In the month of January, a total 33 such incidents were reported which in February went up to 57 and as of March 26, the number rose to 88. In these three months alone, a total 178 garbage burning-related incidents were reported. The number of such incidents usually rises in summer as trees begin to shed their leaves and housing societies start collecting the waste and dry leaves are eventually burned as they are not collected under dry waste and societies with more than 100 flat units are responsible for managing their own wet waste including garden waste. However as a temporary solution, the dried leaves are eventually burned leading to high levels of pollution and also health hazards in neighbouring areas, especially those related to respiratory disease.

Kunal Khemnar, additional municipal commissioner (estate), said, “We will track the areas where such incidents are repeatedly reported and make sure that they do not take place. The garden waste is supposed to be disposed of at the housing society site itself as wet waste under their vermicompost plant or wet waste management techniques. The PMC does collect coconut shells which are then decomposed under the garden waste but for the general public, especially in housing societies.”

The fire department only reports those cases in which the fire is out of control or citizens living nearby panic and call the fire brigade to douse the fire however many such incidents remain unreported and every summer, incidents of garbage burning continue to occur as even the PMC is unable to implement its wet waste initiatives.