Amritsar: Mountain of waste at Bhagtanwala dump catches fire, yet again

Amritsar, June 7

It being an extremely hot day, a fire broke out at Bhagtanwala dumping ground yet again on Tuesday. The smoke started billowing out from the garbage and enveloped nearby localities by the evening. Fire at Bhagtanwala dump is a routine affair, but on Tuesday, area residents started facing respiratory issues. The office-bearers of Sanji Sangharsh committee have asked the Punjab Pollution Control Board to keep a check on the pollution level and take action against the departments concerned.

Residents of nearby localities hole up inside their apartments as the smoke billowing out from the dumpyard causes severe health issues. Earlier, a fire tender of the MC used to douse the flames, but now it is not possible for it to reach the 30-feet high mountain of waste, which lies in the middle of the dumping ground. — Sanjay Kural, General secretary of Sanji Sangharsh committee

Sanjay Kural, general secretary of Sanji Sangharsh committee, said: “Residents of nearby localities hole up inside their apartments as the smoke billowing out from the dumpyard causes severe health issues. Earlier, a fire tender of the MC used to douse the flames, but now it is not possible for it to reach the 30-feet high mountain of waste, which lies in the middle of the dumping ground.”

Though the MC has deployed a fire tender at the Bhagtanwala dump to douse the flames, the fire spreads out to a huge area, where even these can’t reach.