Massive fire breaks out at Ghazipur landfill

A significant blaze erupted at the Ghazipur landfill site in East Delhi on Sunday evening, according to officials.

“At 5:22 pm, we received a report of the fire. Two fire tenders have been dispatched, and efforts are underway to extinguish the flames. Local authorities have been notified,” stated a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) spokesperson.

A senior Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) official mentioned that excavators have been deployed to manage the fire.

In response, the BJP criticised the Delhi government, alleging unfulfilled promises regarding the Ghazipur landfill site’s clearance by December 31 of the previous year.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor stated in a release that due to the landfill fire, the entire area is shrouded in smoke, causing inconvenience to residents and businesses.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had pledged to clear the landfill site by the end of last year, before the 2022 MCD elections, Kapoor noted. However, instead of reducing garbage, more waste was added.

In 2019, the Ghazipur landfill’s height reached 65 meters, just eight meters less than the Qutub Minar.

Furthermore, in 2017, a section of garbage from the dumping yard collapsed onto an adjacent road, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.

Three fire incidents, including one on March 28 that was extinguished after over 50 hours, were reported at the Ghazipur landfill in 2022.

(With PTI inputs)