Burning of garbage at dumping ground near Sanauri Adda has residents fuming

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 4

While the city already has poor AQI, smoke emanating from the dumping ground near Sanauri Adda is making matters worse for residents, who live nearby. “Garbage is burnt deliberately,” claimed residents.

At present, residents of Arain Majra, Range Shah Colony, Ghalori Gate, Sanjay Colony, Tej Bagh Colony and other adjacent areas are facing difficulties due to smoke emanating from the dumping ground.

A vendor selling eggs near the dumping ground said, “The waste is burnt at the dumping ground every day. The MC staff make small heaps of garbage out which some are burnt.”

Kishan, another resident of the area, said, “The other day, there was smoke too much smoke on the site. A fire-brigade engine was pressed into service to douse the flames. Otherwise, small heaps of garbage are burnt everyday, which plunges the area into thick smog.”

When questioned, a worker at the site said, “Sometimes a polythene bag or other item catches fire. We douse flames with water.”

According to the Municipal Corporation (MC), over 2.5 tonnes of garbage was dumped at the site when it was decided to allocate the bio-remediation project to a private company at a cost of Rs6.85 crore. The company has to segregate waste spread over eight acres in 16 months.

When contacted, MC Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur said, “I will instruct officials to ensure that garbage is not burnt at the dumping ground. We will start construction of a boundary wall on the site in two or three days. No one will be able to enter the site after the wall is built.”