Garbage burning causing the hike in AQI of the city

Ghaziabad: The level of pollution in the district is at an alarming level. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Ghaziabad stood at 356 on Thursday. Despite the prevailing ban on burning garbage, it is still being burnt at various places in the district. This is contributing in a major way to the deteriorating air quality.

In Modinagar, burning of garbage is a major issue. Patients of eye irritation and respiratory diseases are increasing in government and private hospitals. On Wednesday, there was an incident of garbage burning  reported from Sahibabad Industrial Area Site-4, adjacent to Kaushambi. The residents of Kaushambi complained to the municipal authorities regarding this. Following the complaint the fire was extinguished and the garbage was picked up by the authorities.

Mrityunjay Baghel, a resident of Dasna said, “Municipal corporation vehicles are dumping garbage here on the road. Stray animals roaming in garbage are making this worse. The smell is making it impossible to stand on the road for even a minute.”

In an official statement, UPCB officials said, “The wind speed at a height of about one thousand meters has decreased since Sunday. Due to this the smoke of stubble being burnt in Haryana and Punjab is not coming to Delhi NCR. The pollution here is due to local reasons, but the wind speed is expected to increase. This will again bring pollutants from other states to Ghaziabad. This can increase pollution. To prevent pollution, action is being taken against garbage burning and we have imposed fines where we have been able to identify the perpetrators.”

The number of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has increased by 50 percent in the last five years. The main reason for this is the increasing air pollution in Delhi-NCR. Former IMA President Ashish Aggarwal says that COPD is more dangerous than asthma. Taking care of the lungs is very important. Dr. RP Singh of District MMG Hospital said that 50 patients with symptoms of COPD are reaching OPD every day. Before the increase in air pollution, this number was only 10.

The authorities in the city are trying to find alternate places for dumping the garbage but all efforts have gone in vain till now. As of now garbage is on the road in all parts of the city. Fire in garbage bins has become a common thing. This is alarming for city residents' health, the authorities must take care of it.