Fire erupts at Bandhwari landfill, threatens Aravallis

Just a day after the Haryana Government issued an alert for forest and harvest fires, a major blaze broke out at the Bandhwari landfill located in the Aravallis. The fire, which allegedly started in waste dumped within the forest zone behind the landfill, was still raging as of late evening, with five fire tenders deployed at the site to prevent it from spreading into the forest.

This is the second fire at the landfill this month, raising concerns over the site’s fire preparedness. What compounded the crisis was the inability of fire engines to reach the core fire zone.

Fire officials claimed that the landfill’s piled-up waste had blocked key access routes to the forest area behind the site. This severely hampered firefighting efforts.

“There is a fire in the waste lying at the backside of the landfill towards the forest area. We have dispatched five fire tenders. Yes, they had difficulty reaching the spot due to obstruction by waste. We have the situation under control, but owing to the nature of the waste, it will take time. As of now, we have managed to save the forest,” said Jai Narayan, Fire Safety Officer.

The incident triggered widespread anger among local villagers and environmental activists. They alleged negligence by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), citing that such fires occur every summer, despite annual assurances.

“Fire engines cannot reach the backside of the landfill where the fire is raging because MCG has blocked the revenue rasta with tonnes of municipal waste. This now threatens the entire forest. I have been demanding that the Forest Department demarcate their area and penalise MCG for occupying more forest land than sanctioned. The Wildlife Department should cancel MCG’s wildlife NOC,” said Vaishali Rana, a local Aravalli activist. Residents say promises of installing heat sensors, gas detectors, and 24×7 surveillance have remained on paper, with no effective implementation on the ground.

Haryana Tribune