Residents claim site has no security

The fire breaking out at Deonar dumping yard has again raised questions about the security measures deployed in the area. Residents of the area claim that despite repeated breakouts, the authority has not posted any security personnel in the area to prevent local rag pickers from burning disposed garbage at the ground.

On Sunday, another fire broke out in the dumpsite that emitted a huge amount of smoke resulting in respiratory problems among the residents. Dr Rahil Qamar Siddhiqui from Rajiv Gandhi Health Centre located near the Deonar dumping yard said that whenever there is any fire break out in the dumping yard, the ones most affected include the children and elderly people who start suffering from breathing problems.

Patients suffering from tuberculosis (TB) are also badly affected by the smoke from the dumpsite. “There are many TB patients in the area and the poisonous smoke from the dumping yard increases the risks to life associated with TB. Air pollution affects resistance to infection among the patients so the smoke aggravates their condition,” said Sumir Meher, a health activist who works for TB patients in the area.

“This dumping yard is not far from the residential area. Hundreds of people live surrounding the dumping yard. So, the smoke emitted from the fires affects all the people in the vicinity,” he added.

When The Asian Age visited the area on Monday, the pungent smell of the smoke was still lingering in the air, making breathing difficult.