Pune Riverbed Garbage Fire Hospitalizes Students, Forces Campus Closure
A major environmental and public health crisis unfolded in Pune as a massive fire on garbage heaps dumped along the Mula-Mutha river bed in Loni Kalbhor led to the hospitalization of five students from MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul (VGIS) due to severe breathing difficulties on Friday. The students were later discharged after receiving medical attention, but the incident prompted the institute to declare a holiday for more than 20,000 students on Saturday to mitigate health risks from toxic fumes.
Fire Rages Uncontrolled Despite Efforts
The fire, which ignited on the night of February 26, continued to rage through Friday and Saturday, with over 25 fire tenders deployed in a desperate attempt to bring it under control. Fire brigade officials reported that the blaze proved difficult to extinguish due to ongoing garbage dumping at the site. Devendra Potphode, chief fire officer of PMRDA, described a "pathetic situation" where garbage trucks continued to dump waste even as firefighters battled the flames, causing repeated reignitions.
Institutional Appeals Fall on Deaf Ears
MIT executive president Mangesh Karad revealed that despite multiple written complaints to the gram panchayats of Loni Kalbhor and Kadamwakvasti, approximately 35 garbage trucks dump waste at the riverbed site daily. The campus, home to around 5,000 residential students and 500 families, along with 20,000 day scholars, has been severely affected by the toxic smoke. Karad stated, "The campus in the morning was engulfed in thick smoke, which reduced visibility and made it impossible to take a deep breath. We couldn't risk the students' health and hence had to announce a holiday."
Mahesh Chopde, registrar of MIT ADT University, confirmed that the institute has escalated the matter to numerous authorities, including:
- Former guardian minister of Pune, Ajit Pawar
- Union minister of state for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary
- Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (Pune)
- Principal secretary of the environment department at Mantralaya
- CEO of zilla parishad Pune and BDO of panchayat samiti, Haveli
Chopde emphasized that the situation has reached a critical stage, posing serious health risks, and urged immediate action to stop illegal dumping and allocate land for a scientific solid waste management project.
Local Authorities Cite Systemic Failures
Nagesh Kalbhor, sarpanch of Loni Kalbhor, explained that the gram panchayat has repeatedly requested the zilla parishad and state government to allot land for a solid waste management plant, but these appeals have been ignored. He noted that a six-acre land parcel near the river, owned by the ZP, is the only available dumping site, attracting waste from nearby villages and social initiatives. Kalbhor recalled a similar fire three years ago and attributed the current blaze to individuals setting fire to garbage piles to clear space, which spiraled out of control.
Broader Impacts and Community Response
The toxic smoke from the fire also caused reduced visibility on the Pune-Solapur highway early Saturday, disrupting vehicular movement. Additionally, a local company suspended its operations on Saturday due to the severity of the air pollution, as confirmed by Chandrakant Borude, PRO of MIT ADT. Karad has called for the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to take suo moto cognizance of the case, warning that without intervention, the environmental and public health damage could become irreversible.
This incident highlights a persistent failure in waste management and regulatory enforcement in the region, with stakeholders at multiple levels pointing fingers while the health of students and residents remains at risk.
