KARACHI:
Would you willingly light a fire inside your home and breathe in the smoke? Yet, people do something similar when they burn garbage in streets and residential areas. This practice is particularly concerning where waste collection services are inadequate.
Burning plastic, paper and household rubbish releases harmful smoke that pollutes the air and threatens public health. It can cause coughing and breathing difficulties, especially among children and elderly people. The smoke also enters nearby homes and shops, while uncontrolled fires may spread to surrounding buildings.
The municipal authorities must arrange regular garbage collection and provide dustbins in residential areas and markets. They should also discourage open burning through public awareness campaigns and appropriate enforcement.
Residents must dispose of waste responsibly rather than setting it on fire. Where recycling facilities are available, recyclable materials should be separated from other rubbish. Burning garbage does not solve the waste problem; it creates another environmental hazard.
People deserve clean streets and fresh air. Municipal authorities and residents should work together to end this harmful practice and maintain a healthier environment.
Meera Ayaz
Dashti Bazar
