A burning problem: The deadly fumes from the garbage dump on the Bahour-Kannikovil Road in Puducherry pose serious health problems to people in the neighbourhood. | Photo Credit: T_Singaravelou more-in Residents of Bahour are up in arms against indiscriminate burning of garbage at the dump maintained by the Commune panchayat on the Bahour-Kannikovil Road. Located close to a government higher secondary school, toxic fumes from the waste burnt in the open pose a serious health hazard. Local people say the site maintained by the Bahour Commune panchayat is used to dump waste collected from Bahour and surrounding villages. The Commune panchayat has remained oblivious to the public health risk. No mechanism “The waste should be segregated and shifted to the compost yard at Kurumbapet near Puducherry. However, because of lack of proper mechanism to scientifically treat the waste, the large-scale burning of waste in the dump continues every day,” said T. Ravi, who lives in Mullodai. Health risks The Bangaru Vaickal Neeradhara Kootamaippu has urged the government to depute a medical team to the area to assess the health risks to the local population. Although repeated representations had been made to the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC), action had not been taken, V. Chandrasekhar, president of the forum, said. Indiscriminate burning of solid waste had affected the agricultural wells in the vicinity. Toxic waste from factories was dumped near waterbodies in Bahour in violation of the Central Water Act and the Environmental Protection Act, he added.

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