45 hours on, Dadumajra landfill in Chandigarh still smouldering

Taking note of possibility of arson, the Chandigarh police lodged a daily diary register (DDR) entry into the matter and started investigating the cause of the fire

Over 45 hours after a major fire broke out at Dadumajra landfill site, firefighters on Thursday were still seen struggling to put out the blaze. The garbage dump continued to smoulder, raising health concerns for people living in its vicinity.

Commuters passing by the areas near the Dadumajra landfill complained of breathing and visibility issues for the second consecutive day. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

However, taking note of possibility of arson, the city police lodged a daily diary register (DDR) entry into the matter and started investigating the cause of the fire.

The DDR entry was made after municipal corporation commissioner Anindita Mitra on Wednesday said initial investigation into the fire had indicated that it was a case of arson.

Five fire tenders on site

Surjit Singh, fire officer at the Sector 38 station, said, “Since the fire broke out, our firemen have been continuously working to douse it. Five fire tenders and two water bowsers are still at the site. The flames had entered the lower piles of garbage, so we are using water and sand to put them out. Now, no flames can be seen, but smoke is still rising.”

He added, “Though the cause of the fire is not known, the blaze spread fast due to the inflammable methane gas released from the garbage amid the high temperatures. We are expecting to douse it by Friday morning.”

Meanwhile, residents of Dadumajra, Sector 38 (West), Sector 25 and Dhanas Colony continued to battle breathing difficulty, and irritation in the throat and eyes, besides foul smell. Commuters passing by these areas also complained of breathing and visibility issues for the second consecutive day.

Citizens, doctors raise concern over health impacts

In a bid to emphasise the serious health consequences of the rising air pollution in Chandigarh on World Health Day, senior health practitioners and residents living in the vicinity of the Dadumajra dumping ground gathered at the Chandigarh Press Club on Thursday.

Dr Amit Kumar Mandal, a pulmonologist; Supreet Kaur, president of EcoSikh; Mona Garu of NGO Meri Udaan and Dayal Krishna from the dumping ground joint action committee, Dadumajra, stressed on the urgent need for action with regard to the deteriorating air quality in the city, particularly near the garbage dump.

“People cannot go out for walks, children can’t play in the parks and people have to keep their windows shut round the clock to avoid the stench and smoke from the dump. Apart from this, every family living in the landfill’s vicinity has a few members who suffer from lung and skin problems,” the panellists said.