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A massive fire broke out around 9 am on Friday near the Mohali Bulk Market after heaps of garbage suddenly went up in flames, engulfing the entire area in thick, toxic smoke. The blaze, which continued to rage till late evening, left residents gasping for breath as the fire brigade struggled to bring it under control. Despite multiple fire tenders being deployed, officials had not managed to fully douse the flames by 8 pm, when this report was filed.
Local residents described a scene of chaos and suffocation, saying dense black smoke spread across the surrounding localities, making it nearly impossible to breathe. They alleged that illegal dumping of construction debris and waste had been going on in the area for months and accused unidentified persons of deliberately setting the garbage on fire to dispose it of quickly.
Residents of nearby slum settlements, including Amb Sahib Colony, Guru Nanak Colony, and Quark City Colony, claimed that the garbage had been dumped there recently and that the fire was not accidental.
“Earlier, only debris was dumped here, but now they have started throwing garbage after filling up the pits,” said Nem Chand, a local resident. “The fire started this morning and has been burning since then. The smoke is so bad that we can hardly breathe.”
Another resident, Dhananjay, alleged, “This was happening with the involvement of certain people, and now the fire has exposed the entire truth.”
Phase-10 resident Dheeraj Kumar warned that if the authorities failed to act immediately, locals would begin a protest from Monday. “We will no longer allow garbage dumping here,” he said. “If any truck is caught dumping waste, it will not be spared.”
Opposition councillor Sarabjit Singh Samana launched an attack on the Municipal Corporation, calling the situation a direct result of its negligence.
“The Municipal Corporation has completely failed to handle the city’s waste management issue,” Samana said. “This site is not a legal dumping ground, yet garbage is being dumped here, endangering the lives of poor residents. The Mayor has failed in his duties and should resign immediately.”
Councillors Ramanpreet Kaur Khumbra, Gurmeet Kaur (Phase 1), and Gurpreet Kaur (Mataur) also joined the criticism. “We have repeatedly raised this issue in House meetings and even alerted officials, but the ruling party has ignored it completely,” they said. “Now the public is suffering the consequences, which is absolutely unacceptable.”
Fire officials confirmed that additional water tankers and manpower were deployed to tackle the blaze. “We are investigating whether the fire broke out due to negligence or was deliberately set,” an officer said. “Nearly a dozen water tenders have been sent to the site, but the fire is still not under complete control.”
When contacted, Mohali Mayor Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu said he had directed officials to immediately inspect the site and ensure the fire was brought under control at the earliest.
“The matter will be thoroughly investigated,” the Mayor said. “We will find out why garbage was being dumped here and take strict action against those responsible.”
As night fell, the stench of burning plastic and waste continued to hang over the area, leaving residents fuming — both from the smoke and the administration’s silence.
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