A massive fire erupted at an illegal garbage dump yard in Sector 21 on Saturday night, raging for nearly five hours, fire officials said. The blaze broke out around 9.30pm on Saturday and continued intensifying until 2.30 am on Sunday, posed a direct threat to a nearby commercial centre and approximately 300 homes, they said, adding that no injures were reported.
Gulshan Kalra, deputy director (technical) of Haryana Fire Services, cautioned the residents of the affected area to follow safety advisories, referring to Sector 21, adding that the cause of the fire is not yet known. “Our teams have worked tirelessly to control the blaze; we had sent at least 12 fire tenders and there were no casualties due to quick action. We urge residents to stay clear of the affected area and follow safety advisories,” he said.
Residents report that response from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has been insufficient, with authorities conducting only a limited drive to dismantle some storage godowns following the fire. They alleged that this violates the mandates laid out in the Punjab and Haryana high court’s directives concerning waste management and safety in areas near residential zones. To be sure, the high court directives state that waste disposal sites in residential areas should be managed and monitored strictly to prevent any health hazards and fire risks.
Prakash Lamba, president of the Sector 21 RWA, expressed concerns over the authorities’ lack of prior actions against the illegal dump yard. “While firefighters worked tirelessly to control the blaze, the lack of preventive measures by the authorities is concerning. Our community has been repeatedly raising concerns about the unsafe conditions at the dump yard, but little has been done to address them,” he added.
Meanwhile, KL Sharma, general secretary of the RWA, said: “The fire broke out around 9.30pm, and it took almost five hours, until 2.30am, to bring it under control with the help of 35 water tankers and fire tenders. This was a harrowing experience for all of us.”
Community leaders and residents are now urging authorities, including the local MLA, police commissioner, deputy commissioner, and commissioners of MCG and HSVP, to take immediate and coordinated action to prevent future incidents at the dump yard.“There are other illegal dump yards in the vicinity that also violate norms. If authorities do not take immediate action, these areas remain ticking time bombs,” Neeru Yadav a resident said.
In response, outgoing Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said, “We are aware of the situation and are coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure the fire is contained promptly. The safety of our residents is our utmost priority.”
