Fire engulfs Tajpur Road garbage dump, again

Ludhiana: A major fire broke out at the garbage dump on Tajpur Road on Tuesday. Firemen faced a tough time dousing the flames as the breezy conditions spread the blaze and smoke fast. Nearby shanties had a narrow escape. This is the second fire incident at the garbage dump in the past one week, with the earlier being reported on May 13.
Fire officials said they rushed to the spot after receiving a call around 10.25am. Fire tenders from local bus stand, Focal Point and Sunder Nagar fire stations were pressed into service.
As the blaze sprawled from one garbage heap to the other, covering a large part of the dump, the nearby shanties were evacuated.
Fireman Ravi Kumar said, “Those living in shanties told that the fire started around 6.30am. We, however, were informed at 10.25am. Due to the windy weather, the fire spread fast. It took a long time to control the situation.”
About the cause of fire, he said, “It is yet to be ascertained. But it seems the summer heat or a smouldering cigarette butt sparked it.”
The department deployed four fire tenders that made 10 rounds. The situation was brought under control at 4pm.
As thick smoke filled the area, firemen and hutment residents complained of throat and eye irritation.
Ward 15 councillor Kanchan Malhotra said, “We had earlier brought it to the notice of the mayor as well as the municipal corporation commissioner that garbage at the dump was not being processed properly and the waste management company, A2Z, which is handling the work, was slacking. Due to the incident, the colonies on Tajpur Road suffered a lot as the harmful smoke spread everywhere.”
In the evening, Punjab Pollution Control Board senior environment engineer Sandeep Behl visited the site to take stock of the situation. “It seems the ongoing tussle between the MC and A2Z firm has hit the garbage processing work. We have already issued a notice to the MC for depositing Rs 50 lakh bank guarantee with PPCB. We will now take action against those responsible for the fire,” he said.
‘Slums near dump illegal’
Firemen said the slums should not have mushroomed adjoining the dump. “The hutment is illegal, as 30-metre area around a garbage dump is a buffer zone where no construction is allowed. The foul smell makes it difficult to stand here even for a minute. The residents of this slums are chiefly rag-pickers who segregate the waste at the dump and then sell plastic bottles, among other things, to earn a living. Had the fire spread to the slums, it would have been a major incident,” said a fireman.