Action in Deonar fire on basis of report, says Javadekar

Even as an infant died allegedly of suffocation in a locality near Deonar dumping ground where a fire has been raging since last week, Environment Ministry on Wednesday said future course of action will be taken after a two-member probe team submits its report on Monday.

“My team has gone there and seen the fire. They will submit report by Monday. They will apprise us. After that, we will talk to the state government. We will also hold a special meeting next week here with state government officials, Mumbai officials and those who are concerned with the dump waste management in Deonar,” Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.

“Regarding the issue, what they are doing and what needs to be done, will be assessed during that meeting,” he said. Terming the issue as “serious”, Javadekar had recently sent a two-member special team to inquire into the fire incident. Javadekar also had a telephonic conversation with the BMC Commissioner on the issue after which he blamed the fire on the “callousness” of contractors in charge of managing the dumpyard and said action will taken against violators.

Asked if there was a possibility of “sabotage”, he had said it will be clear once the team submits its report after their investigation.

Air quality in several parts of Mumbai has oscillated between ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ in the wake of the fire.