Industrial waste dumped at green belt near Vallah bypass up in flames

Tribune News Service

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, May 6

A major fire broke out in the industrial waste dumped at the green belt of the National Highways Authority of India and railway land at Vallah bypass.

Residents of several residential localities at Bypass Road, Vallah, and New Amritsar area were privy to the smoke emanating from the dump for the last three days. A local mill has been dumping huge quantity of industrial waste on a vacant plot on the NHAI land along with the Asr-Jal railway track for the last three years.

On Wednesday, when farmers at nearby wheat fields burnt straw, the industrial waste also caught fire. It started burning on Wednesday night. More than 10 fully grown trees on the land were also gutted in the incident. No one from the mill came to douse the flames. The waste is still burning and releasing smoke in the air.

Advocate Randhir Sharma, resident of Veer Enclave said: “It was a terrible condition in our locality as it is nearest from the illegal dump of the paper mill. We complained to the authorities when the mill management was dumping the industrial waste near the residential area. Industrial waste contains plastic and other matter which also stinks and produces dense smoke. The Punjab Pollution Control Board is aware of the illegal dump, but hasn’t taken any action. We want the government to lift the dump from the highly sensitive area, as it is close to Guru Ramdas Hospital, Vallah, and Nirankari Satsang Bhawan. Moreover, the residents of Veer Enclave, Impact Garden, Garden Enclave, Vallah village and New Amritsar are facing respiratory issues.”

Earlier, The Tribune had highlighted the issue, but no action was taken by authorities concerned.

“The dump should be shifted to some other place where the government allows dumping industrial waste. It is not appropriate to dump the industrial waste near residential localities. If the administration and pollution control board do not take any action, we will intensify our struggle,” said Sandeep Singh, another resident.

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