Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP/MS)

Mangaluru, Apr 5: Fire and thick smoke were noticed in the Pachanady dumping yard of the city corporation late night on Sunday April 4. Huge amount of waste caught fire. Machines of the plant got gutted in the fire. The loss is estimated to run into lac of rupees.

The thick smoke that emanated out of the garbage dump soon started to spread around the area including Mangalanagara. The smoke was strong and smelly enough to give a choking experience to the citizens.

Due to the intensity of the fire, the waste that was treated got gutted. Even as the people struggled to grapple with the unexpected situation, firemen rushed to the spot and undertook the task of dousing the fire.

Though action was taken to put out the fire that has caught the treated waste, people of the locality are concerned about the poisonous smoke from the burnt waste getting carried in the air. The fire spread to other areas also. The fire fighting personnel found it difficult to contain the fire due to breeze.

The smoke bellowing out of the waste treatment plant and yard could be seen over Pacchanady, Kudupu, Tiruvailu and some parts of Kulshekar ward.

Deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra KV, city corporation commissioner Akshy Sridhar and environmental engineer visited the spot.