TOI has received a number of complaints from across the city about poisonous smoke and foul smell emanating from burning waste in residential areas.

People not only from posh localities like Civil Lines, Dharampeth, Raj Nagar and even those living in core city areas like Lakadgadanj said that sanitary workers responsible for solid waste management indiscriminately burn garbage in the open.

Activists said this practice of burning garbage is evident in government offices in Civil Lines. TOI too found that collection, sorting and burning of garbage are rampant in many government quarters and on GPO premises for quite some time. Often, the waste is burnt very close to the trees.

On Friday night, TOI found similar smoke emitting after a huge pile of garbage set afire near the bungalow of municipal commissioner Shravan Hardikar near Law College Square. Even traffic constables deployed at this busy junction admitted that the smoke was a nuisance for all and sundry using WHC Road. "The smoke emanating from the garbage causes irritation in eyes and difficulty in breathing among residents and us," a constable complained.

On Saturday morning, a sanitary worker collected garbage from the premises of a bungalow near Ladies Club Square and dumped it all along the compound wall. He then sat there to sort it and then set the remainder on fire. "It not only poses health hazard, it also could prove disastrous with shanties located just behind. Written complaints to the local ward office and senior officials in Nagpur Municipal Corporation have yielded no result," said a group of morning walkers who reside around MLA Hostel Square.

It is shocking to see that NMC sanitary workers have resorted to such hazardous means of disposal of dry waste. The city is very proud of the fact that it is free from garbage bins, but burning of garbage makes very little sense.

The health consequences of garbage burning are tremendous and worrisome, said Dr Fatema Chimthanawala. "The worst part is that one doesn't know what gets burnt in garbage and it could be anything from plastics to non-biodegradable. Reactions to the emanating smoke can range from allergic problems like running nose, cough, conjunctivitis and even asthma. Constant exposure (to the smoke) can result in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," she said.

Citizens expect the NMC to come up with safe, scientific and long-term methods of solid waste management and not to resort to such hazardous quick-fix solutions.

NMC deputy director (health) Dr Milind Ganvir claimed that the department often takes action against sanitary workers for burning garbage by imposing spot fines between Rs500 and Rs1,000. In this fiscal, the department collected around Rs20,000 by imposing fines on sanitary workers. The action against offenders, including sanitary workers, has been inconsistent. He appealed to citizens to whatsapp to him images of places where garbage is being burnt on his cell number (09823063952) and assured of taking action against people involved in making air pollution.

THE PROBLEM

* Open garbage dumps across the city emanate foul smell. Sanitary workers, unable to process the waste, burn it, which results in emission of poisonous and smelly gases. Residents have complained of health hazards.

ILL EFFECTS

* Black, sooty smoke make breathing difficult

* Complaints of cough, asthma and burning eyes

* People avoid setting out of houses unless required