Burning of waste heaps goes on unabated in Amritsar

Manmeet Singh Gill

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Amritsar, April 16

The illegal practice of burning waste heaps in the city continues unabated even as the National Green Tribunal and other government agencies are trying hard to check pollution. A large heap of waste at the garbage collection point near the bypass road was set on fire in the broad daylight today.

During the ongoing wheat harvesting season, a section of agrarian community would certainly burn crop residue to get rid of it. Incidents of burning of waste would prove that the government is only concerned with pollution in villages and not in cities.

“Critics claim that the government action against farmers for burning crop residue portrays the latter in a bad light even as maximum pollution is caused by other sources,” said Ram Singh, a local resident. He said no one causing pollution should be spared so that air quality could be improved.

As per solid waste management norms, waste is to be segregated at the generation site and shifted to garbage management plants. However, after collecting waste from homes and commercial buildings it is often taken to a site near Ranjit Avenue and set on fire.