A massive fire broke out at Aadharwadi dumping ground in Kalyan on Saturday. Five fire tenders and six water tanks were rushed to the spot, and the fire was doused after 12 hours. A thick layer of smoke continued to cover the area all of Sunday.
“A fire broke out in the early hours of Saturday and was doused after midnight. The fire penetrated the garbage heap, and that made the operation difficult. The process of cooling it down can take up to four days. Until then, there will be smoke in the air,” Rajendra Sonawane, a firefighter, said.
This is the second fire at the dumping ground this year. It took almost four days for the site to cool down after the previous fire.
Santosh Patil, a resident of Dombivali who was visiting Kalyan’s Khadakpada area, said the smoke caused his eyes to burn.
Sunanda Shete, a local resident, said, “The corporation has no authorisation to use the Aadharwadi dumping ground any more. It needs to start working on the proposed biogas plants and other landfill sites. A fire breaks out every other week, and the smoke and stink has made our life hell. My son has been diagnosed with bronchitis due to the smoke. We cannot move out; this is the only property we own.”
Kalyan resident Kaustabh Gokhale, an activist, said, “The Aadharwadi dumping ground was declared saturated in 1991, and should have been replaced by two proposed dumping grounds in Barave and Umbarde in Khadakpada. The Aadharwadi ground has a residential township. The smoke has worsened the air quality in Kalyan (west). People living five kilometres from the site are complaining of breathing difficulties. I cannot fathom the conditions of those living closer to the landfill.”
