For over 24-hours now, efforts to douse the fire at the Bhalswa landfill site in north Delhi continue, and it will take at least another two days to put it out completely, officials said on Wednesday. Eight firetenders are currently working to bring down the flames, they said.
Officials said that it is unlikely that the blaze could be contained even by Thursday. The focus was to keep the fire in control, especially the flames moving towards the residential areas.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakhs on North MCD, in connection with the fire at Bhalswa landfill site.
A massive fire broke out at the Bhalswa landfill on Tuesday evening. Several videos showed the blaze churning out dense plumes of smoke and turning the sky hazy grey. Fire officials had said they received the information at around 5.40 pm after which 13 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Residents on Wednesday evening said the plumes of thick smoke continue to choke them.
”The residents have started complaining of sore throat, itchy eyes and breathing problems. Currently, eight fire tenders are working on the site. It will take at least two more days to douse the fire. Our teams are working round-the-clock to put it out,” a fire officer said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. However, another official said rising temperature leads to formation of methane gas at the dumpyard sites and this is ”extremely flammable”.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday blamed ”corruption” in the Municipal Corporation for the frequent fires at landfills in the city, saying the BJP-ruled municipal corporations should have used bulldozers to clear the mountains of garbage. Gyan Sarovar School, a child resource centre for children of rag-pickers living near the Bhalswa landfill site, has been closed for a week.
Three incidents of fire have been reported this year in east Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill site, including the one on March 28 which was doused after over 50 hours.
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