Overview
- A large fire broke out at the Bandhwari landfill on Thursday morning and was brought under control by early afternoon after firefighting crews and rainfall doused remaining hot spots.
- Firefighters sent multiple fire tenders and used about 40 water tankers along with earth-moving equipment to contain smouldering heaps that trap underground methane.
- The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram says the site now has methane detectors, a permanently stationed fire tender, portable extinguishers, 24/7 monitoring and CCTV surveillance to strengthen on-site response.
- Residents and environmentalists blamed methane build-up in fresh and decomposing waste for the recurring summer blazes and pointed to a nearly 50-hour fire at the same site in April as evidence of the problem’s persistence.
- Locals reported breathing problems and eye irritation from thick black smoke, and campaigners urged the city to find alternative dumping arrangements and invest in scientific waste processing to prevent future fires.