Deonar fire: Govt to discuss probe panel report

Terming the fire at Deonar dumping ground in Mumbai as a ‘serious lapse’, the government on Monday said the two-member probe team has prepared its report and a meeting will be convened soon to discuss it, following which strict action will be taken against those who violated norms. 

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the matter has been taken up seriously and following discussions with Maharashtra officials and Mumbai Municipal Corporation, strict action, if required, will be taken under the Environment Protection Act against violators.

“Our team has just prepared the report which is under examination. I will discuss it tomorrow with my officers,” he said. 

“Within two days, most probably on March 30, we will call municipal and state officials concerned. Then we will discuss the whole report and ask for a time-bound action plan,” Javadekar said. 

“It is a serious lapse and we have taken it very seriously. We will issue, if required, necessary orders under Section 5 of Environment Protection Act. This means strict action. We will issue directions. They have to comply with it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Environment Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam has alleged that the recent fire at the Deonar dumping ground was the “handiwork” of BJP and that the ruling party was trying to gain political mileage out of the issue.  Kadam, along with other Shiv Sena MPs and ministers, and city mayor Snehal Ambekar, visited the dumping ground on Monday.