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Falling leaves can be good manure, don't burn them, say green enthusiasts

Last Updated 02 March 2015, 19:42 IST

Heaps of dry leaves are being set on fire across the City in violation of the norms set by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).

The practice is prevalent during this time of the year, the autumn season, when trees shed their leaves in huge numbers, for new leaves to grow during the upcoming spring season.

According to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) norms, leaves and garbage should not be burnt. Not only residents, sweepers, construction workers, hawkers and sanitation workers are also setting fire to piles of leaves on roadsides in the morning hours and afternoon.

This has become a common sight in many parts of the City, including Magadi Road, Banashankari, NR Colony, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Malle-swaram, Rajajinagar, Yeshwantpur, Cox Town, Lingarajapuram, Indiranagar, Wilson Garden, Jayanagar and Kanakapura Road.
The burning of leaves leads to increase in carbon dioxide level, smoke, smog and soot in the atmosphere. The High Court has already taken note of it and has asked the agencies to reduce the trend. Going by the court orders, burning leaves is prohibited, environmentalist A N Yellappa Reddy said.

He said people, especially the government, did not realise that dry leaves are a major source of manure. The burning of leaves has led to deterioration of air quality in the City. Instead, they should be collected in open spaces. It is an excellent source of compost and vermi-compost. Those burning leaves should be penalised heavily as it is equivalent to smoking tobacco, he added.

Ecologist M B Krishna said that piling and burning leaves was equivalent to killing a tree itself as all valuable resources of the tree were being lost. Foliage is very useful. It helps prevent the soil from heating up and retains moisture in the ground, he added.

KSPCB chairman Vaman Acharya said garbage and leaves should not be burnt under KSPCB norms, though there is no law prohibiting it. This is because the dust and carbon dioxide level in the air increases manifold. Also, the 2012 garbage law states that garbage, including leaves, should be cleared by scientifically carrying it away, compressed and composted. But this is not happening, he said.

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(Published 02 March 2015, 19:42 IST)

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