3rd Landfill Fire Near Aravalli Forest in April Sparks Concerns of Foul Play

A third fire in less than three weeks erupted in the Aravalli forest adjoining the Bandhwari landfill on Monday, prompting alarm among environmentalists who suspect a deliberate attempt to clear forest land to expand the landfill.

- Leena Dhankhar

GURUGRAM:

The fire follows two earlier incidents on April 3 and April 6, raising questions over the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram's (MCG) waste management practices and triggering calls for immediate investigation and accountability.

According to eyewitnesses, dry wood and kikkar trees caught fire in the dense stretch behind the landfill. However, fire engines could not access the area, as the MCG has allegedly blocked a crucial revenue rasta with waste, environmentalists said.

"This looks like a nefarious plan by someone to illegally occupy more forest land. The fire is raging on the backside of the landfill, and fire engines simply cannot reach there because MCG has blocked the access route with garbage," said Vaishali Rana, an environmentalist. "I have repeatedly demanded that the forest department demarcate their jurisdiction and penalise MCG for encroaching beyond sanctioned limits. The Wildlife Department must revoke MCG's Wildlife NOC (no objection certificate) immediately."