Gurugram: 3rd Bandhwari fire in April spark concerns of foul play

A third fire in as many 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.

Monday’s blaze follows two similar fires 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 kikar trees caught fire in the dense stretch behind the landfill.

However, fire engines could not access the area, as 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.”

Forest officials, meanwhile, said they will get the site inspected on Tuesday to ascertain the cause of fire.

While forest fires are not unusual in the Aravallis during peak summer, environmentalists allege a pattern behind the recent blazes. “This is a deliberate, well-planned, and cunning strategy to expand the landfill,” said Roma J. Vinayak, another environmentalist. “Over the last five years, I’ve seen illegal tree felling and the shameless dumping of leachate into the forest. First, they blocked the peripheral village road. Now, they are using fire as a tool to clear forest cover. The MCG and MCF have failed to manage waste and are now resorting to shortcuts.”

Responding to the allegations, Additional Municipal Commissioner Mahavir Prasad said, “The revenue rasta is already very congested. It is not possible for fire tenders to pass through. However, we will get it checked.”

Gulshan Kalra, Deputy Director (Technical), Haryana Fire and Emergency Services, confirmed that eight fire tenders were deployed to douse Monday’s blaze. “We had to navigate multiple obstacles to reach the site. The fire was intense due to dry forest matter, but our teams managed to control it before it could spread further,” he said.

The April 6 fire was significantly larger and took place inside the Bandhwari landfill, requiring ten fire tenders from Sector 29, Sector 37, Bhim Nagar, and the industrial area, fire officials said. The operation lasted over four hours. No casualties were reported, but the incident highlighted longstanding management flaws at the dumpsite, they added.

Officials said methane gas buildup beneath legacy waste often leads to such fires. “The gas, when exposed to air, can spontaneously ignite, creating a dangerous chain reaction,” an official explained.

Residents of Bandhwari and Gwalpahari villages, meanwhile, have repeatedly reported respiratory distress during and after such fires. With over 70 fires recorded between March and June 2023, the area has become increasingly vulnerable during summers, locals claimed.

MCG joint commissioner (Swachh Bharat Mission) Akhilesh Yadav said efforts are underway to process legacy waste by June. “Proposals are under way for fresh waste processing, which will help prevent future fires,” he said.

 However, fire department officials criticised the absence of sprinklers and fire lines, at the site. Kalra said there are plans to station fire tenders near Bandhwari for faster response.