No use fuming about this

‘Fumes from burning leaves can cause respiratory problems'

A Winterly cold morning in Bangalore near Rajbhavan. Corporation workers and rag pickers set fire to the dry leaves to warm them self, The morning sun light penentrate through smoke and the mist, creating a pictorial effect. Photo: K.Gopinathan

Even before we feel the first waves of heat, it is the shedding of foliage that heralds the onset of summer. The roads we cross each day are littered with these dry leaves. And clearing the roads of leaf litter seems to have become a Herculean task for the pourakarmikas across the city.

Which is why we often see heaps of dry leaves being set on fire on the roadsides, filling the cityscape with fumes. This, experts say, is hazardous as it increases air pollution and RSPM (respirable suspended particulate matter) levels.

Members of the Solid Waste Management Round-Table (SWMRT), Bangalore, an organisation that creates awareness about segregation of garbage, besides safe and effective disposal of solid waste, say that the burning of leaf litter could also cause respiratory problems in citizens who are exposed to the fumes.

N.S. Ramakanth, who is one of the founders of SWMRT, said it was “criminal to burn” leaf litter, which could be easily converted to compost. “It does not cost much and is fairly easy. One just has to pour cow dung slurry on the leaf litter to allow it to decompose. In just 45 days, the litter will be converted into compost,” he says.

He added that leaf composting had been initiated by SWMRT in several parks across the city. The former Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner, Siddaiah, had directed officials of the Horticulture Department to stop procurement of manure. They were instructed to use the compost created from leaf litter instead.

“However, this practice has come to a grinding halt. The pourakarmikas cannot be blamed as the capacity in the garbage lorries is limited. The BBMP can put an end to this, but the health inspectors are not bothered about it,” he charged.

Out of the loop

Nevina Kamath, member of SWMRT, said that the pourakarmikas, who clear the garbage, are never kept in the loop.

She said that there was no system of communication, ongoing training or supervision of the Class 4 (pourakarmikas) workers in solid waste management.

BBMP officials admitted that leaf composting was not taken up as vigorously as before.

The officials of the Horticulture Department claimed that the same would be revived soon. However, they said that they were not responsible for the leaf litter on the roads. “Clearing the litter on roads is the responsibility of the officials of the Solid Waste Management Department,” they said.

‘It is illegal'

Senior officials of BBMP's Solid Waste Management Department claimed that they were unaware of the burning of leaf litter on roadsides.

“It is illegal to burn leaves. There is a clear clause in the garbage tender agreement not to burn leaves. The local environment officer can levy a penalty on the garbage contractor concerned, if he finds that leaves are being burnt by the pourakarmikas.”