MCG steps up fire prevention efforts at Bandhwari landfill

In response to recurring fire outbreaks at the Bandhwari landfill, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has ramped up its monitoring and fire prevention measures including 24/7 surveillance, said officials. During an inspection on Tuesday, MCG’s additional commissioner, Dr Balpreet Singh, directed officials to ensure round-the-clock surveillance and immediate action to prevent further fire incidents at the site, they added. 

According to officials, 10 fire incidents have been reported at the landfill since January, with most recent one on Saturday. Following the inspection, Dr Singh highlighted the need for enhanced monitoring, citing the environmental and health hazards caused by the fires. “Continuous monitoring will be maintained with staff working in three shifts to ensure constant oversight of the waste plant,” he said. 

As part of these efforts, fire tenders will be stationed at the site at all times to quickly extinguish any flames. Dr Singh said that if another fire occurs, the officer responsible for the site will be held accountable. “MCG is taking the Air Quality Management Commission’s guidelines seriously and will take all necessary steps to comply with them,” he added. 

Gulshan Kalra, deputy director (technical), Haryana Fire Services, said the combustion of methane gas released from organic wastes causes the fire at the landfill. “Such fire incidents are especially common during summer as there is a higher concentration of methane gas at the site,” he added.

Meanwhile, residents living near the landfill have expressed their concerns over the frequent fires. “We have been witnessing numerous fires due to untreated waste, and the smoke makes it unbearable to live here,” said Vikas Bhadana, a resident. The area’s air quality has deteriorated, with the Sector 51 monitoring station recording ‘poor’ air quality levels, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. 

Officials said the average AQI was recorded at a “moderate” 113 from October 1 to October 14, which is better than the past six years. Last year, the average AQI was clocked at a “moderate” 176 during the same period, while it was 114 in 2022, 141 in 2021, 194 in 2020, 132 in 2019, and a “poor” 223 in 2018.

The Sector 51 station recorded a “moderate” AQI of 165 on October 10, followed by Vikas Sadan at a “satisfactory” 59. Teri Gram and Gwalpahari’s data were not recorded. The last time the area logged an AQI in the’satisfactory’ category was on October 5, officials said.

Ruchika Sethi Takkar, Gurgaon-based environmental activist and founding member of Citizens for Clean Air, said that the MCG must ensure fresh organic waste should not be offloaded at the landfill site, as it releases methane, increasing fire risks. “The authorities need to process the organic waste within the district in a decentralised manner, utilising compressed biogas plants and biogas plants.Solutions are there, but the authorities seem not to care about the air quality in Gurgaon,” she added.

Separately, Vaishali Rana, a Gurgaon-based environmentalist, pointed out the need for long-term solutions to avoid such incidents in the future. “Authorities must identify the root causes and adopt sustainable waste management practices, including proper waste segregation and processing, to reduce the burden on the landfill,” she said. 

In response, MCG officials said they are closely coordinating with fire department teams to contain and extinguish the fires. “We are working alongside the fire department to ensure the fire is fully controlled,” said Narhari Singh Bangar, MCG commissioner.