NEW DELHI– Flames and columns of thick smoke continued to emerge from a massive landfill in the Indian capital, for the fifth consecutive day, officials said.
The fire at the colossal Bhalswa landfill site, began on Tuesday evening. Firefighting operations on the spot with burning mounds of garbage were still underway.
“The fire has not been completely doused yet, and our teams are still at the spot splashing water on the flames,” an official of the Delhi fire service department said. “We will not leave the place until the fire is brought under control completely.”
Residents said, the heavy pungent smoke emanating from the blazing landfill was hanging over the area and made it difficult for people to breathe.
On Friday, the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW), issued a summon to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), asking for its presence before the panel on May 4.
The women’s commission has sought an explanation and steps, which were being taken by the NDMC, to prevent poisonous fumes from entering houses of residents living in the vicinity of the landfill area.
“If you fail to comply with this order without lawful excuse, you will be subjected to the consequences of non-attendance as provided in law,” read the notice.
The local government of Delhi accused the NDMC of negligence over the landfill, its toxic waste management and consequences.
On Thursday, it directed the Delhi Pollution Control Committee to impose a fine of five million rupees (65,265 U.S. dollars) on the NDMC over the landfill fire.
Though the cause of the fire remains unknown, NDMC officials claimed the fire was caused by methane generated in the wake of the decaying organic matter at the landfill site.
According to local media, Bhalswa is among the three big landfills in Delhi, besides Ghazipur and Okhla. It is the second biggest after Ghazipur and is estimated to hold eight million tonnes of accumulated legacy waste.
Reports said, this is the fourth fire in Delhi’s landfill over the last month, with the other three taking place in Ghazipur.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK