Bonfire remnants damage garbage bins in city

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 16

The practice of having bonfires in streets has been resulting in fire incidents in the bins, installed by the Municipal Corporation (MC). Residents often dump the remains of bonfire into bins, inflicting damages on the same. Employees of the waste management firm say that fire incidents in the bins have increased in the winter season.

Safai karamcharis (sanitation workers) claimed that sometimes sweepers put the bonfire remnants, such as pieces of wood, in the bins. After sometimes, fire erupts in the bin. There are several bins which have got damaged due to such activities.

Moreover, fire in the bins causes heavy pollution. Commuters face inconvenience due to the smoke emanating from roadside bins. Employees of the firm have to make extra efforts to collect garbage from such bins. “We have to douse fire to take out garbage. Sweepers often dump some substance which ignites the garbage. Since the cold wave is at peak, people lit the bonfire at night and do not douse it properly. Next morning, sweepers throw the remains into the bins which cause fire,” said a worker of waste management company.

Burning of garbage, containing plastic and polystyrene, in dustbins is also dangerous as it leads to emission of poisonous gases. Medical experts said the smoke contains particulate matter, carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen cyanide, benzene, styrene, formaldehyde, arsenic, lead and chromium. Several residents have complained of breathing problems.

They said burning of leaves and garbage results in lung and respiratory problems. The smoke thus emitted can cause a burning sensation in the eyes, besides respiratory disorders.