Political blame game erupted after a fire broke out at Ghazipur landfill in East Delhi resulting in deterioration of air quality on Wednesday. The fire started early morning and the landfill site shouldered throughout the day with fire fighters putting up massive efforts to douse it.
According to Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Services (DFS), the call regarding fire was received at around 9.56 PM on Tuesday following which five fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
“Later, three more fire engines were dispatched to douse the fire. The fire was at different places at the landfill. The operation is still going on,” said Garg.
Meanwhile, another official said that the cause of fire at different locations might be due to the garbage collectors who dumped garbage here and set it on fire.
“DFS had informed this practice of garbage collectors to authorities several times but the garbage collectors keep on repeating the same putting lives of nearby residents at risk and causing pollution levels to spike in the city,” he said.
Delhi's overall air quality deteriorated to the severe category from "very poor" on Wednesday morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) mobile app, SAMEER, the city's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 401.
AAP leader Durgesh Pathak claimed that BJP leaders have set a fire in the Ghazipur landfill site to defame the Arvind Kejriwal government, a charge denied by the BJP which said only AAP leaders can think of such allegations because they themselves might be doing such acts.
"The garbage fire was not spontaneous but the BJP leaders have planned this. In the last 15 years, the BJP-ruled MCD has gifted three huge garbage mountains to Delhi. They have erected three big garbage mountains in Delhi. Due to the fire in this mountain, Delhi people are facing difficulty in breathing. This is only the result of corruption, incompetence and failure of BJP. Durgesh Pathak further said that I have come to know that the BJP people have set themselves on fire in this garbage mountain. The BJP is doing all this to defame the Delhi government,” he said.
