Delhi Fire Service: 76 SOS calls from landfills in four years

According to data submitted by the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) there have been 76 fire calls from the three landfill sites (namely Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Tughlaqabad) in Delhi in the last four years. The report was submitted to a joint committee formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to suggest next steps for the Ghazipur landfill.

These fires are most common in the summer and can last for several days, as per the DFS report. 

According to the DFS report, fires deep beneath the landfill surface involve materials that are months or years old and are more difficult to extinguish than surface fires. It suggests installing underground water tanks and pumps at these landfills.

According to an interim progress report submitted to the NGT by the joint committee, the existing waste-to-energy plant in Ghazipur was shut down for about six months and only reopened in May, at half capacity, according to a report in The Indian Express.