About 2,000 metric tonnes of solid municipal waste from Gurugram and Faridabad is dumped at the landfill site every day, Executive Engineer, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, Nijesh Manderna said. “Prima facie, it appears that the fire in the Aravali forest spread to the waste at the landfill site,” Mr. Manderna said.

Expressing concern over frequent incidents of fire in the Aravali region, environmental analyst Chetan Agarwal pointed out that extensive fires in the Mangar and Badkhal forest had erupted on Saturday, and again in Mangar forest on Sunday. The forests were dry, and areas with lantana plants were more flammable and vulnerable to fires, he added.

Tagging Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini, social activist Tarun Chopra, expressed concern over frequent fires adversely impacting air quality in a post on social media platform X. “The Bandhwari landfill has become a nightmare for hundreds of residents living nearby. Toxic fumes, frequent fires, and relentless smoke are choking the air, forcing families to breathe poison every single day,” Mr. Chopra said.

The fire broke out hours after Urban Local Bodies Minister Vipul Goel inspected the waste management plant at Bandhwari on Saturday, following which he directed municipal officials to speed up the garbage disposal work and complete it within the stipulated time.

Noting that the amount of waste at Bandhwari had increased over time, the National Green Tribunal had on April 23 pulled up the municipal corporations of Gurugram and Faridabad over “gross deficiencies” in the management of waste at the landfill.