A large amount of trash collected outside Tatanagar station was set ablaze on Wednesday evening, the foul smoke causing discomfort to thousands of people, a day after the fortnight-long Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat drive that ended on Gandhi Jayanti.
On Wednesday, dense foul smoke billowed out of burning waste, hardly 200 metres from the main station building on Station-Jugsalai Road, from 6pm. The smoke cleared a little before 8pm. However, who burnt the wastes — Tatanagar generates about 100kg trash daily — is still not clear.
Station cleaning agency MB Solutions as SS Enterprise responsible for transporting trash to the Khasmahal waste disposal site, 1.5km away, have denied any hand in the blaze.
Among the people who were trapped in the smoke was former Tata Steel employee Arun Kanti Ghosh who went to receive his daughter-in-law. “It was simply horrible walking in the smoke. I am an elderly man and I faced breathing problems,” Ghosh said. “We had to block our noses. I felt nauseous while nearing the station,” said marketing professional Kartik Kumar. “The dense smoke came out from the burning wastes and blanketed the entire area outside the station.”
Contacted, Tatanagar station director H.K. Balmuchu said he was aware of the freak blaze on Wednesday.
“It should never happen,” he said. “We have an agency that clears wastes from the station and another to transport it to Khasmahal (landfill). Burning wastes outside the station cannot be allowed. We have taken up the issue with railway police. I am sure such incidents will stop as Government Railway Police will deploy jawans outside the station to keep a tab on any elements burning wastes,” he said.
Arun Tiwari, the general secretary of Chhotanagpur Passenger Association also condemned the burning of trash outside the station.
“Whoever has done it has not realised the gravity of the action. It is a pollution and health hazard for thousands of people visiting the station. We will write to Chakradharpur railway division authorities so that such incidents don’t happen outside the A-1 category station,” said Tiwari.
