A daily rag-picker forages for recyclable items at the Garbage dumping ground at Burma Camp, Dimapur. (Sorei Mahong Photo)
Dimapur | March 6 : The Dimapur municipal area with an estimated population of more than two and a half lakh at present produces nearly 90 TPD (tonnes per day) of garbage/wastes. While considering the constant migration of people into the town, the waste generated by an ever growing population is projected to increase by 25-30 percent annually. This assessment is according to a survey conducted by the Nagaland Pollution Board (NPCB) in 2009.
The garbage comprising of plastics, papers, discarded glass and sanitary wastes are collected (though not all) daily by the municipal body and dumped at the town’s lone garbage disposal site located at Burma Camp. The disposal is even more basic than the collection part, so to speak. Municipal solid waste management in Dimapur is still in the ancient ‘collect and burn’ stage.
Dimapur’s open garbage dump: A threat to human health
Notwithstanding the ever-present stench of rotting matter and the flies, the smoke from the burning garbage is posing a serious health hazard to people residing nearby. Call it ignorance or blatant disregard to public health, human habitations have cropped up right along its outer periphery. The river Dhansiri, running alongside its eastern boundary has also been acutely affected. There have also been reports of grievances being expressed in this regard from settlements downriver, on the Assam side.
Every evening putrid smoke from the burning garbage envelops the air surrounding the garbage dump. According to one citizen who has her residence nearby, a suffocating haze like a thick blanket of smog envelops the air. The woman described the feel of the atmosphere as somewhat like when chilly is burned bringing on a stinging sensation on the eyes. “The air’s like that the whole night... the refuse is still burning in the morning.”
The description may seem to be a very common effect, smoke has on humans yet from a medical point of view, it will result in more than just ‘stinging eyes’.
Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), or simply dioxins, are environmental pollutants common to polyvinyl chloride (or plastic in layman terminology). Burning plastic, rubber and other man-made products releases this chemical, besides myriad other toxic particulate matter, into the air, soil and even ground water. To make matters worse these chemicals are invisible to the naked eye making the people unaware of the ill effect it is having on their health.
Exposure to smoke could lead to burning eyes and nose, coughing, nausea, headaches, or dizziness and even trigger asthma attacks. Research conducted by experts has shown that the dioxins present in smoke generated by burning plastic endangers one to serious illnesses like tumours, cancer, learning disorders, infertility, immune system problems and other diseases. Children, teenagers and pregnant women are at the highest risk.
The health hazards are all too obvious. Plainly put, it appears that the air over and surrounding the garbage-dumping site will sadly remain ‘rancid and smoky’ for some more years. A plan to set up a solid waste management site and a bio-medical waste unit is believed to be in the plans. A further 2-3 dumping grounds have also been proposed while there are talks of expanding the present site by a few more ‘bighas’. These proposed projects, according to reliable sources are all in the talking stage yet.
Member of the DMC advisory board Er. Vikholie averred that the fund position of the municipal body is so bad that it is unable to carry forward the proposals at present. The only alternative now is putting to flames the discarded garbage on open ground. Besides, rag-pickers are now allowed to scavenge for any recyclable items like plastics and glass, lessening a bit, the toll on the environment, he added.
The only ‘silver lining’ is that a bio-medical waste management unit is in the pipeline with the NPCB taking a keen initiative in this direction. The project, with 50 percent of the cost to be funded by the Centre, will hopefully be given clearance by the coming financial year. The DMC advisor averred that the setting of the unit will be cost-effective and would not cross the Rs. 25 lakh mark. Kohima is said to be the only town in Nagaland that has such a unit.
Trash burning has been a common practice all over the world, throughout history. Still, for the present day Dimapur - with the amount of assorted garbage it generates – waste management demands a more environment and human-friendly approach, backed by judicious scientific expertise.
The garbage comprising of plastics, papers, discarded glass and sanitary wastes are collected (though not all) daily by the municipal body and dumped at the town’s lone garbage disposal site located at Burma Camp. The disposal is even more basic than the collection part, so to speak. Municipal solid waste management in Dimapur is still in the ancient ‘collect and burn’ stage.
Dimapur’s open garbage dump: A threat to human health
Notwithstanding the ever-present stench of rotting matter and the flies, the smoke from the burning garbage is posing a serious health hazard to people residing nearby. Call it ignorance or blatant disregard to public health, human habitations have cropped up right along its outer periphery. The river Dhansiri, running alongside its eastern boundary has also been acutely affected. There have also been reports of grievances being expressed in this regard from settlements downriver, on the Assam side.
Every evening putrid smoke from the burning garbage envelops the air surrounding the garbage dump. According to one citizen who has her residence nearby, a suffocating haze like a thick blanket of smog envelops the air. The woman described the feel of the atmosphere as somewhat like when chilly is burned bringing on a stinging sensation on the eyes. “The air’s like that the whole night... the refuse is still burning in the morning.”
The description may seem to be a very common effect, smoke has on humans yet from a medical point of view, it will result in more than just ‘stinging eyes’.
Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), or simply dioxins, are environmental pollutants common to polyvinyl chloride (or plastic in layman terminology). Burning plastic, rubber and other man-made products releases this chemical, besides myriad other toxic particulate matter, into the air, soil and even ground water. To make matters worse these chemicals are invisible to the naked eye making the people unaware of the ill effect it is having on their health.
Exposure to smoke could lead to burning eyes and nose, coughing, nausea, headaches, or dizziness and even trigger asthma attacks. Research conducted by experts has shown that the dioxins present in smoke generated by burning plastic endangers one to serious illnesses like tumours, cancer, learning disorders, infertility, immune system problems and other diseases. Children, teenagers and pregnant women are at the highest risk.
The health hazards are all too obvious. Plainly put, it appears that the air over and surrounding the garbage-dumping site will sadly remain ‘rancid and smoky’ for some more years. A plan to set up a solid waste management site and a bio-medical waste unit is believed to be in the plans. A further 2-3 dumping grounds have also been proposed while there are talks of expanding the present site by a few more ‘bighas’. These proposed projects, according to reliable sources are all in the talking stage yet.
Member of the DMC advisory board Er. Vikholie averred that the fund position of the municipal body is so bad that it is unable to carry forward the proposals at present. The only alternative now is putting to flames the discarded garbage on open ground. Besides, rag-pickers are now allowed to scavenge for any recyclable items like plastics and glass, lessening a bit, the toll on the environment, he added.
The only ‘silver lining’ is that a bio-medical waste management unit is in the pipeline with the NPCB taking a keen initiative in this direction. The project, with 50 percent of the cost to be funded by the Centre, will hopefully be given clearance by the coming financial year. The DMC advisor averred that the setting of the unit will be cost-effective and would not cross the Rs. 25 lakh mark. Kohima is said to be the only town in Nagaland that has such a unit.
Trash burning has been a common practice all over the world, throughout history. Still, for the present day Dimapur - with the amount of assorted garbage it generates – waste management demands a more environment and human-friendly approach, backed by judicious scientific expertise.
