Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite strict restrictions on burning waste, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been caught setting garbage on fire at the BHEL Dussehra Ground, triggering toxic smoke and worsening the city’s already deteriorating air quality.
Ironically, while the BMC promotes “zero waste events” for public image, such actions are contributing directly to air pollution.
According to locals, the incident occurred after the conclusion of the Bhojpal Utsav Mela, when sanitation staff from Zone-12 allegedly burned heaps of waste in the open under the guise of cleaning.
The matter came to light after photographs and videos of thick smoke rising from the ground went viral on social media. Notably, a BMC garbage vehicle can be seen parked at the spot in the visuals, ruling out the possibility of mischief by outsiders and pointing towards official negligence. Meanwhile, BMC’s Zone Assistant Health Officer Ravi Batham claimed he had no information about the incident.
This incident comes at a time when Bhopal, recently ranked as the second cleanest city in the country in the Swachh Survekshan, is grappling with hazardous air quality.
AQI touches 315
On Monday, the AQI at the Paryavaran Parisar touched 203, while TT Nagar recorded 228—both levels considered harmful to health. Earlier, on January 10, AQI had spiked to an alarming 315.
