Fire breaks out at illegal scrap yard in Gurgaon, MCM seeks FIR against plot owner, Rs 50L fine on industries

GURGAON: A fire broke out early Monday at an open scrap yard in Kankrola village, where industrial waste had allegedly been dumped for years. Following the incident, Municipal Corporation of Manesar (MCM) said it has written to Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) seeking registration of an FIR against the owner of the private plot.The blaze broke out near the IMT Manesar industrial belt, where large quantities of scrap and industrial waste were spread across nearly six to seven acres of land. The highly combustible waste quickly fuelled the flames, sending thick plumes of smoke across nearby residential areas."The scrap yard contained heaps of plastic, scrap, rubber and other flammable materials, which caused the fire to spread rapidly," MCM officials said, adding that the landowner had allowed the plot to become an illegal dumping ground and that legal action had been sought. The civic body also urged HSIIDC to identify the industries responsible for dumping waste at the site and take strict action against them, including revoking their consent to operate and imposing on them a penalty of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, officials said."A call was received at the Manesar fire station at 6.50am about a fire at an open scrap yard. Fire engines from IMT Manesar and one each from Sector 37, Sector 29, Honda and Maruti Manesar were rushed to the spot," said fire safety officer Lalit Kumar.MCM joint commissioner Hitender Kumar said directions had been issued for strict action in coordination with the pollution control board and HSIIDC. "The scrap warehouse was being operated illegally. On behalf of MCM, I recommended that HSPCB impose a minimum fine of Rs 10 lakh and a maximum fine of Rs 50 lakh on the source industries. A request was also made to Kherki Daula police station to register an FIR against the landowner on whose land the scrap warehouse was built. The fire was severe, but there was no loss of life or injuries," he said. Praveen Malik, RWA president of Rising Homes in Sector 92, said he had raised the issue of unregulated scrap dealers operating in Manesar with MCM commissioner last week. "They should be removed since such incidents of waste being set on fire by them are common in the area," he said.