Locals fume as BMC staff burn trash

Mumbai: Residents of Charkop have alleged that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) workers have been burning garbage collected from roads in sector eight at a local mangrove spot. On Saturday, smoke from burning garbage allegedly reached third floor of a nearby residential society, Sai Siddhi, after which the residents complained to the civic solid waste department.

In December 2016, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered a nationwide ban on the open burning of garbage with penalty of up to Rs 25,000, citing it as a major source of air pollution. Moreover, the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 have prohibited burning of garbage on landfill areas, public spaces or any other sites. However, Charkop residents have been repeatedly complaining to the civic body about the burning of garbage by its marshals.

Mili Shetty, resident of Sai Siddhi Apartments, Charkop Sector 8, said, “The BMC itself is indulging in such activities even after the revised SWM rules and the NGT ban. They gather the garbage collected in two to three days and then burn it in the open. It has all sorts of things like plastic and glass bottles, which create a lot of smoke in the area. And they do it in the mangroves, a clear violation of environment law.”

After receiving complaints from the citizens, the sanitation department of the BMC issued a penalty to the workers concerned. Bhale Ganesh, officer, sanitation department, K/C ward said, “We have issued a penalty of Rs 500 per worker.

Although the BMC has clearly stated that burning any kind of garbage is prohibited, it seems that the contractor has failed to follow it.”