Fire breaks out at Bhagtanwala dump yard

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 8

A major fire broke out on the dump yard located at Bhagtanwala on Saturday evening. Irked residents cornered the Amritsar Municipal Corporation over the issue. The MC officials claimed that they had doused the flames with the help of eight fire engines.

Dr Ajay Kanwar, Health Officer, MC, said, “It was a major fire. I reached the spot and called fire engines. We worked hard from more than four hours and doused the flames on late Saturday evening.”

Residents suspected that the MC’s own staff or solid waste management company had been burning garbage instead of processing it.

Sanjay Sharma, member, Sanjhi Sangharsh Committee, said, “It’s not for the first time when fire broke out at the dump yard. It is a regular affair. It happens due to negligence of the MC and solid waste management company’s staff. They should act as soon they come to know about fire. However, they act only when a major portion of the dump starts burning.”

Dr Kanwar refuted the allegations and said, “It is a well- known fact that decades-old heaps produce methane gas. It often catches fire. We have designated staff to keep a check and they act immediately. Sometimes, flames get out of control or fire breaks out at multiple locations.”

The MC officials claimed that bioremediation of garbage was going on in full swing. “It will take around two years to clean the entire dump yard. We have planted saplings to develop green belt on the land cleared of garbage. Residents should cooperate with us,” said civic body officials.