The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Thursday slapped a fine of ₹50 lakh on the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for alleged negligence leading to the fire at the Bhalswa landfill site in north Delhi.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, remained at loggerheads over the blaze, which continued to simmer for the third consecutive day on Thursday. Fire officials said it will take at least one more day to put the out fire completely. Four fire tenders were currently working at the site to bring down the flames, the officials added.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai had earlier asked the anti-pollution body to probe the Bhalswa incident and submit a report within 24 hours.
Reacting to the report given by the DPCC, Mr. Rai said, “Bhalswa landfill site caught fire as a result of North municipal corporation’s irresponsibility. The fire broke out around 5.30 p.m. on April 26 at the Bhalswa landfill site, engulfing around 1 acre of ground due to limited availability of water tankers and negligence by the civic body.”
Report by pollution body
The report, according to Mr. Rai, noted the constant discharge of methane gas from landfill sites, rising temperatures in Delhi and a dry atmosphere as the main reasons behind the regular fires erupting at the landfills.
The Minister said orders had been issued to the DPCC to levy a punishment of ₹50 lakh on “the North municipal corporation for its negligence”.
In addition, the department had issued instructions to create permanent water tanker stations and increase field workers in light of the insufficient water supply at the Bhalswa landfill site, Mr. Rai said.
Directions have also been issued to construct peripheral roads for easy transportation at the landfill sites so that quick actions may be taken at the time of such incidents in future.
AAP MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak, who visited the Bhalswa landfill site on Thursday, accused the BJP leaders of being busy extorting money from Delhiites even as the landfill continued to burn for the third day.
“Toxic smoke from the fire is making it difficult for the people to breathe; children are feeling suffocated. AAP will file an FIR against BJP. We will go to the court if needed,” Mr. Pathak said.
“There is a residential colony in close proximity of this landfill, including a school. The entire area is now engulfed in smoke as a result of this blazing fire, which has been burning for the past three days now,” he added.
Mr. Pathak alleged that large amounts of funds allocated towards the disposal of the landfill, either by the Delhi government or the Centre, , were “stolen by BJP leaders”.
‘Political tourism’
Reacting to Mr. Pathak’s comments, the BJP accused AAP of engaging in political tourism instead of working towards a solution for landfill fires.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said there is no doubt that whenever a fire breaks out at a landfill site, the smoke billowing from it makes life tough for those living in its vicinity but people like Mr. Pathak “use human problems to try to make political points” without making any contribution to resolve the problem.
“Durgesh Pathak is neither an elected representative nor on any government post so one fails to understand in what capacity he visited the Bhalswa landfill site. His visit to the site was nothing but political tourism,” Mr. Kapoor said.
“His statement that the Kejriwal government issued funds for the disposal of landfill sites is a blatant lie. In the last seven years, the Delhi government has not issued a penny for landfill site disposal,” Mr. Kapoor added.
