The North Delhi Landfill Fire and Possible Causes

MONOJ GOGOI

The fire that broke out at a massive landfill in Bhalswa in North Delhi on Tuesday (26th April) raises several pertinent questions. Eruption of small fires in such garbage dumping areas were common as local people reported but this type of massive blazing was rare. The size of the dumping ground was about 36 acres and mountainous and the fire tenders were struggling for three days to douse it.

But why it’s started to happen? In the last 30 days four landfill fires occurred – on March 28 at Ghazipur, April 10 at Ghazipur and again on April 20 at Ghazipur; but this time it occurred in Bhalswa of North Delhi on Tuesday. As mentioned in the previous write-up, the incidents of fire have been increasing. Climate change impacts worldwide can be attributed as one of the primary causes. The atmospheric temperature was around 42C on Tuesday. The methane gas is very vulnerable for ignition, in such dumping yards the rotten garbage emits methane in high rate. Mismanagement of garbage can also lead to such incident. India has also gradually been coming nearer to face fire incidents.

So the country needs always to be in alert for rapid response.

Landfill burning, as it releases high amount of toxins, hazardous to health of humans and animals.

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