Since the new incinerator commenced operation, many Brownites and other stakeholders in the Hall have lauded the project, praising the results that are visible to everyone. However, not everyone in the Hall has seen the incinerator improve their standard of living.
Once the incinerator started operating, occupants of the G block of the Hall and others living in boys quarters close by have found themselves worse off due to oversight by the officials responsible for the incinerator. As expected, the incinerator produces a lot of smoke when it is operated. What was not anticipated, obviously, was that the smoke would find its way to G Block and cause problems for the inhabitants.
ABH Press interviewed a few inhabitants of G block in a bid to understand just how serious the issue was and field suggestions from the people most affected.
Aba Femi from the MBBS 2k19 class said, “Personally, I have not been affected much by it. My room is on the ground floor and it just doesn’t get here as much, maybe the rooms on the other side of the floor have it worse. But I know for certain that the people at the boys quarters are really suffering. I know people who say they have to sleep with face masks because of the smoke. I think they should have foreseen the problem, but now they should find a way to solve it to protect the health of Brownites.”
Another inhabitant, who preferred to not be identified had a slightly different view. He said, “It’s not really been much of a problem. They usually burn it in the afternoon, when most of us are in school, so it won’t affect us. I understand that it can be bad to have smoke in your room.”
Omotoso Kehinde of the 2k21 BDS class claimed the smoke was worse on the corridors than in the rooms. He said, “ You don’t really feel it too much when you’re in the room because of the extra protections, the net and others, but it’s worse when you’re on the corridors.”
According to the Hall Chairperson, Mr Jesufemi Adeyeye, efforts are being undertaken to ensure the problem is mitigated soon. He said, “ The management is very concerned with this. We have costed the amount to install a long metallic pipe for the smoke to pass through so it exits the structure very high up. We hope to have it in place as soon as possible.”
Smoke from an incinerator permeating an entire residential block is obviously a problem, a serious one that warrants swift action. The health and safety of Brownites living in that block are on the line, and it is important that the necessary authorities go to any length to ensure that the situation is remedied as quickly as possible. One can only hope that is the case.
