Burning of discarded shoes made of synthetic materials to melt pitch is causing severe air pollution in Dakkhin Motukpur village of Domar upazila.

Messrs SM Shafiqul Alam, a construction firm in the district, is using the discarded shoes for melting pitch instead of coal or wood. This causes air pollution from dense smoke and fumes.

The firm is repairing and carpeting Boragari-Teen Bot segment of Domar-Dimla road after getting the work order last month.

This correspondent visited the site a few days ago and saw tar in drums being melted in big earthen furnaces. Synthetic materials were used to make the fire.

The smoke and fumes emitted by the furnaces covered the entire area, causing severe air pollution and creating a public health hazard. The area is densely populated and two educational institutions are situated nearby.

Day labourer Poritosh Roy, who was engaged in the work, said the firm purchased the rejected sandals and shoes from waste material wholesalers as those are cheaper compared to coal or wood. It has been burning them for long, he added.

Panga Motukpur Union Parishad Member Saidur Rahman said the company is causing serious air pollution, leading to health hazard in the area. He said he requested them not to use such materials in melting pitch that went unheeded.

Locals said there are two educational institutions with several hundred students situated nearby. The students are suffering due to the smoke and fumes, which is harming the academic atmosphere, they added.

Mitu and Nayan of Soto Rauta Kali Mandir Government Primary School said they cannot pay attention to their studies and the teachers feel uneasy due to the smoke during the class hour.

Nilphamari Civil Surgeon Dr Abdur Rashid said people might suffer from heart disease, eye problem, respiratory disorder and even cancer if exposed to the smoke.

Representative of the construction firm Hamidul Islam said, "We are cleaning the environment by burning discarded shoes or sandals that are scattered everywhere."

Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways Department in Nilphamari AKM Hamidur Rahman said his department will introduce environment friendly base plants to melt pitch, adding that such unwanted activities would not be tolerated.