Despite being one of the attractive seasons, the autumn in Kashmir is giving a tough time to the general public due to the widespread burning of golden leaves.
No doubt that the practice and tradition of burning leaves in autumn has a long history in Kashmir. But, at the same time it is giving a tough time to the locals because the widespread burning of leaves comes with relentless health consequences.
Besides health issues, the burning of leaves degrades the quality of air in Kashmir. The air quality during the season from the past couple of years is totally different from the past decades. The quality of air in this season may affect COPD and asthma badly, particularly the children, aged and those patients who are going through lung diseases.
Pertinently in the year 2017, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has ordered a blanket ban on burning of leaves in order to avert the air pollution. The municipality had said that the burning leaves releases the poisonous gases like carbon monoxide that causes respiratory disorders and air pollution.
There is a dire need of government intervention in order to stop the practice of burning leaves that contributes a lot in creating the smog especially during the onset of winters.
The policymakers and the concerned officials need to aware, sensitize and educate the people about the hazards of burning of leaves. There shall also be a governing authority for the check and balance of the practice.
Besides, the concerned needs to suggest alternatives for those people who burn the leaves in autumn to make a coal out of it for the winter purposes. The governing authorities shall also educate the people especially of the peripheral areas about the disposal and composting of the leaves to trim down the impact of burning of leaves.