Hyderabad: The fire that broke out in the city’s permanent dumping yard at Jawahanagar on Sunday at 6.45 pm, was brought under control on Monday.
Four fire engines, five water tankers, five leac-hate spaying pump sets, 10 sand lorries and other machines took most of the day to control the fire. There was still a lot of harmful smoke.
Cherlapalli station fire officer V. Shekar Reddy said that the fire was controlled by Monday evening and they were currently controlling the smoke and the operation might be completed by the night.
The fire appeared to have been triggered by trapped landfill gas, The dump is known to have some such hot spots. A few minor fires had broken out in April, said Dr B. Janardhan Reddy, commissioner, GHMC.
After the fire started on Sunday, a thick blanket of smoke engulfed parts of Jawaharnagar, Yapral and Balajinagar. Two fire engines brought the fire under control at about 8.30 pm, but as the fire officials were about to leave, the flames leapt up again.
Jawaharnagar, the city’s permanent dumping yard in the outskirts, is spread over 103 acre. Tons of garbage collected every day from the city have been dumped at this site since 1994.
The GHMC commissioner, during an inspection on Monday, said, “Fire broke out at a site where the garbage had accumulated over the last two weeks. There is a need for capping the entire dumping yard. Ramky has been instructed to make arrangements for capping the area to avoid smoke or smell spreading to surrounding areas.”
Dr Janardhan Reddy said officials had been asked to use soil as a barrier for oxygen supply and to install multiple lines of spray for leachate. Capping and closure of the 103-acre site will be complete before next summer, he said.
