LUCKNOW: Even as the pollution control signboard in Hazratganj indicates the level of hazardous gases choking the lungs of denizens, recently it stood mute witness to leaves and garbage being burnt in the middle of this busy market.
Illustrating the level of callousness and disregard for laws and safety measures, a heap of rubbish comprising plastic bags, leafs etc were recently seen burning bang in centre of Hazratganj main crossing.
A deadly cocktail of billowing black smoke could be seen clouding the sky from a distance.
Since the fire had been lit on the busy inter-section between the road leading to Vidhan Sabha and the one road leading to Halwasiya Market, the resultant smog hampered the traffic movement. What is even more dangerous is the fact that the leaves and garbage were being burnt right next to a halogen lamp used for lighting up a fountain located at this intersection.
According to a senior fire department official, fire safety norms are completely ignored despite the dangerous ramifications of doing so.
Disposal of leaves and garbage by burning has been prohibited due to the ecological implications and high levels of pollution generated as a result of the noxious gases released.
However, this practise continues unabated. The burning of garbage in the middle of Hazratganj crossing, the heart of the city, is equivalent to declaring that in Lucknow any law can be flouted anytime, anywhere with impunity.
Municipal Commissioner SP Singh immediately denied that this was the handiwork of LMC staff as the fire was lit in the evening by which time they are off duty. He said some private persons must have decided to dispose their garbage by burning it instead of bearing the inconvenience of disposing it properly.
He added that people in the city lack civic sense and then blame the administration. "This city cannot be cleaned if the people do not co-operate," he stressed.
