Rampant waste burning continues across the city even as air quality remains poor, and the authorities look the other way.

On Sunday, Metro spotted dry leaves and heaps of garbage set on fire in multiple locations surrounding Raj Bhavan and inside Curzon Park, which is across the road from Raj Bhavan’s east gate.

The waste that was set ablaze in Curzon Park included a considerable quantity of plastic waste. The small fires along the pathway near Raj Bhavan were predominantly made up of dry leaves and some plastic waste.

According to an official from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), there exists a ban on the open burning of waste. Nevertheless, this ban is often violated during the winter months.

This newspaper reported on December 27 how heaps of garbage were being set on fire on a portion of the Maidan, next to an under-construction Metro railway site at the Manohar Das Tarag. A south Calcutta resident said she found a heap of garbage on fire inside Vivekananda Park when she visited the park on a December afternoon.

A resident of Kasba said he often sees waste collectors of the civic body accumulating dry leaves and setting them on fire. “The neighbourhood gets filled with smoke. We have to close our windows to stop the smoke from entering our rooms,” he said.

Environmental scientists said any heap of garbage invariably has plastic in it, and burning plastic at low temperatures, which happens when it is burnt in the open, is
hazardous.

“When plastic is burnt in the open at low temperature, it releases toxic chemicals like furan and dioxin, which are carcinogenic. Inhaling the air mixed with these pollutants has health hazards,” said a scientist with the state pollution control board (PCB).

“Plastic should be burnt in an enclosed environment and at high temperature, at least 800 degrees Celsius. When it is burnt in the open, the heat dissipates, and the temperature does not reach that degree,” said the scientist.

Even without plastic, the burning of waste gives birth to particulate matters that add to the air pollution.

Swapan Samaddar, the mayoral council member in charge of the KMC’s environment department, said the civic body will urge Kolkata Police to be more vigilant.

“We have to write to Lalbazar. Since the police are on the road for more hours, they are better placed to spot open burning of waste. In our letter, we have requested to ask people not to burn waste and make them aware of why it is harmful,” said Samaddar.

“We are also trying to raise awareness. People think that burning leaves keeps them warm in winter, but they must be told about its negative impact on health,” said Samaddar.