Ensure no burning of waste in open: Pollution board to officials

The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) on Monday took cognisance of open garbage burning and called a meeting of all municipal commissioners of Punjab to stop the practice.

The board directed the commissioners and PPCB officials to coordinate with the respective offices to work in a mission mode with all the municipal commissions, nagar panchayats, nagar councils, municipal committees, horticulture departments to sensitise waste workers and other field teams against open waste burning and its harmful impacts on health and climate.

It was mentioned at the meeting that all awareness campaigns should begin from immediate effect. Any case of open municipal waste or dry leaves burning would be fined as per the NGT directions up to Rs 25,000.

Also, with the onset of winter, there is a high possibility of people burning waste, which would lead to poor AQI. Open waste burning releases harmful air contaminants such as particulate matter, black carbon, carbon monoxide and dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and other toxic compounds, including heavy metals. Short and long-term exposure to these results in a myriad of adverse health effects: coughing, eye, nose and skin irritation to begin with.

“Under our Punjab Clean Air Programme, such practices won’t be tolerated,” stated Reena Gupta, Chairperson of the Board, adding that over the next 10 days, the PPCB would conduct sensitisation training of all frontline workers.