District Collector A. Annadurai today urged the people of the district to refrain from setting unwanted things on fire on Bhogi. He appealed to them to celebrate a ‘smoke-free’ Bhogi.

“Setting ablaze discarded materials leads to thick smoke that causes environmental pollution, which is an offence,” Annadurai said in a press release.

“Materials such as tyre, rubber, plastic and broom sticks are usually set ablaze on the day before Pongal. The belief is to bid adieu to the old and make way for the new, on the first day of the auspicious Tamil month of Thai.

The practice of setting fire to discarded materials would not cause major problems in rural areas. However, in towns and cities where a large number of people live, the smoke can lead to health hazards such as breathing problems, eye irritation and nasal blocks. The smoke can also cause lung problems,” the release said
Thick smoke also leads to poor visibility that obstructs road traffic. Moreover, High Court has imposed a ban on such practice.

The Collector appealed to the people not to burn or discard the materials on the streets but to hand over them to the City Corporation staff, who would collect and segregate them as biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes.

He appealed to the people to comply with the rules and celebrate the festival without causing pollution. He also warned that violation of rules and continuing with the practice of setting fire to inflammable materials would be dealt with severely.