Noida blaze still raging for third day, 150 firefighters deployed

Massive fire at Noida's waste dumping ground in Sector 32 rages for 3rd day despite 3.5M litres of water. Residents suffer from smoke, ash. Authorities plan to shift dumping site.

The massive fire at Noida’s horticulture waste dumping ground in Sector 32 continued to rage for the third straight day on Wednesday evening and refused to yield even an inch to 3.5 million litres of water, sprayed by over 150 firefighters and 15 fire tenders round the clock since Monday evening, fire and rescue officials said, adding that the dry leaves and branches at the open ground were 30 feet deep and continuously feeding the fire.

Firefighting operations at the dumping ground in Sector 32 on Wednesday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

According the fire department, the fire was reported on Monday around 6pm from the dumping ground in Sector 32, where green waste from across the city is dumped by Noida authority’s horticulture department.

“We have used up at least 3.5 million litres of water since the fire started. At least 150 firefighters are working in three shifts of eight hours each, and 15 fire tenders are continuously fighting to control the flames. However, the dry leaves and branches at the ground is at least 30 feet deep and we are facing challenges in controlling the fire,” said Pradeep Chaubey, chief fire officer, Gautam Budh Nagar.

He said the fire department has nine fire officials, of whom seven are deployed at the fire site.

In the past two days, firefighters have also suffered health complications, the fire chief said.

“We are choking on the fumes and sweltering under the heat continuously for around eight hours, which is making firefighting very difficult. The more water we use, the more thick the resultant smoke. The flames keep reigniting as soon as the mulch dries up, and then we again have to use water to douse the flames,” said Yogendra Prasad, fire officer, Phase-3 fire station.

Officials of the Noida authority said the water being used for firefighting is being sourced from the sewage treatment plants (STP) in the city.

“The water from the STPs in sectors 50, 54 and 34 is being used to douse the flames -- we are trying to minimise the water used in firefighting activities,” said Anand Mohan Singh, deputy director, horticulture department, Noida authority.

Residents in nearby areas, meanwhile, continued to reel under the heavy smoke and flying ash for the second continuous day. “My wife suffers from chronic breathing issues and because of the smoke since the past three days, she has started using a face mask even at home. The situation worsens at night as the temperature dips and the smoke fills our homes if we do not shut our doors and windows tight,” said Deepanshu Singh, a resident of Sector 51.

Brigadier VK Bhatt (retired), president of Sector 31A residents’ welfare association, said, “The smoke and ash is affecting senior citizens the worst. We have stopped our morning and evening walks. Even children are being forced by to remain at home.”

Environmentalist writes to authorities

Environmentalist Vikrant Tongad, who runs the NGO Social Action for Forest & Environment (SAFE), on Wednesday wrote to multiple government agencies and regulatory bodies highlighting the fire situation, including the Uttar Pradesh government, the Commission for Air Quality Management, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), among others.

“In this matter, appropriate action should be taken against the relevant departments and officials under environmental laws, the Air Act, and the Disaster Management Act. Environmental compensation should be imposed, and immediate steps be taken to officially shift this dumping site to a designated horticulture waste management site, where waste can be composted scientifically. If appropriate action is not taken from your end, we will be compelled to approach the NGT,” Tongad said in his email.

When asked, Utsav Sharma, regional officer, UPPCB, Noida, said the situation is being monitored by the department.

“We are aware that such a fire had erupted last year as well, and at that time, we sent a recommendation to the Noida authority that this dumping ground should be shifted from its present location. Again, we are monitoring the area and its impact on the air quality. Once the fire is doused, we will write to the authority that a long-term solution should be taken to prevent such a hazard from repeating,” said Sharma.

He said while there are no real-time air quality monitoring station near the spot where the fire has erupted, manual stations have been put by the pollution control department in the area.

“These manual air quality monitoring stations use filter papers to assess the air quality and the readings are analysed in a laboratory, and this process takes some time to yield results. The nearest AQI monitoring station is in Sector 125, which is at least 10km away,” said Sharma.

Noida authority officials said they are preparing an action plan to shift the dumping site elsewhere.

“The horticulture department was already in the process of shifting this site to another spot but the work was stopped because the model code of conduct has been notified for the Lok Sabha elections. We are also in the process of making a policy to manage green waste in Noida,” said Singh.