New Delhi: A significant fire broke out at the Ghazipur landfill site located in east Delhi on Sunday evening, triggering emergency responses from local authorities.
"We received a call regarding the fire at 5:22 pm. Two fire tenders were pressed into service. Efforts are being made to douse the fire. Local police have been informed," stated a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official.
In addition to the fire tenders, excavators have been deployed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to help control the blaze.
The incident has led to political criticism, with the BJP accusing the Delhi government of failing to fulfill its promise to clear the Ghazipur landfill by December 31 of the previous year. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor commented, "As a result of the fire at the landfill site, smoke has engulfed the entire area, causing inconvenience to residents and businesses."
Earlier commitments by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to clear the landfill by the end of last year, ahead of the 2022 MCD elections, have not been met. Instead of reducing the waste, more garbage has been added to the site.
The Ghazipur landfill has been a concern due to its towering height.
In 2019, it reached 65 metres, just eight metres shorter than the historic Qutub Minar. The site gained infamy in 2017 when a portion of the garbage collapsed onto a nearby road, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
This recent fire adds to a series of incidents at the Ghazipur landfill. In 2022 alone, three fires have been reported, with the most recent one on March 28 taking over 50 hours to extinguish.