Air ‘poor’, yet garbage continues to be burnt in Faridabad

Bijendra Ahlawat

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Faridabad, May 18

As the air quality index (AQI) in Faridabad was recorded in the ‘poor’ category, burning of garbage in the open has emerged as one of the prominent reasons behind the degradation of air quality.

Measures prove ineffective

Garbage is burnt in at least 50 spots in the city. A large number of complaints have been lodged in two months, but the authorities have not taken any action in this regard. All the claims and measures announced by the MC from time to time have failed to curb the menace. — Jitender Bahdana, activist, NGO, Save Aravallis

Ballabhgarh and Faridabad recorded the AQI at 270 and 260, respectively, on Saturday morning, making these among the most polluted cities in the NCR, according to the data recorded by Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB’s) ‘Sameer’ app at 9 am.

Residents have raised concerns about continuing violation of norms regarding the disposal of waste.

It is claimed that several teams consisting of officials of various departments, including the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF), were set up last year to curb such violations.

The Municipal Corporation has also imposed 57 challans for the improper disposal of waste since January 1 this year. But, residents say that the number of challans are insufficient in comparison to the incidence of burning garbage or dumping it in the open, according to sources.

“Garbage is burnt in at least 50 spots in the city and it has been a major factor behind pollution in various parts like the NIT,” said Jitender Bahdana, an activist associated with the Faridabad-based NGO, ‘Save Aravallis’.

He said a large number of complaints had been lodged in the past two months, but the authorities had not taken any action in this regard. He alleged that all the claims or measures announced by the authorities from time to time had failed to curb the menace.

“Pyali Chowk, Dabua road, Anaj Godam road, Gonchhi drain, Saroorpur village, Ram Nagar, Krishna colony, Pali road, Etmadpur road, Bypass road, banks of Agra and Gurugram canals from sector 30 to sector 62, Palla, Mohna road and many locations in Greater Faridabad are some of the hotspots where waste is burnt daily either by the scrap dealers or people engaged in the disposal of waste,” said city resident Narender Sirohi.

It is claimed that a company, which was given the contract for waste disposal several years ago by the civic body, had stopped working after a dispute over payment.

As a result, around 40 per cent of the total waste is disposed in an improper manner, owing to the lack of proper infrastructure and space crunch at the traditional landfill at Bandhwari. The deputation of officials and employees on election duty is also claimed to be obstructing the supervision of waste management work.

MC Executive Engineer OP Kardam said action against offenders — including the issuance of Rs 500-Rs 5,000 challans at regular intervals — was taken as per the law.