Ahead of MCD polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has once again blamed the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi for mismanagement and its inability to clean the national capital — one of the civic body’s main tasks, over an incident of fire that broke out at North Delhi’s Bhalswa landfill.

“Every now and then we get to hear how fires break out in these landfills. On Sunday, a massive fire engulfed a significant portion of the Bhalswa landfill. Because of this unfortunate event piles of garbage fell down around the landfill causing great agony to the residents. Such fires intensely pollute the environment and turn fatal for those living in the area,” AAP senior leader and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak said in a press briefing on Monday.

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Bhalswa landfill — one of Delhi’s three landfills, caters to about over 50 per cent of the capital’s total population. These landfills pose a threat to the slum dwellers nearby. In August, a mountain of garbage about 70-80 metric tonnes fell on a nearby slum where about 5,000 people live. It was a matter of relief that the accident happened during the daytime so that those living around could come out of their homes on time. If the same incident had happened at night, there would have been an enormous loss to life and property, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) leader of opposition Vikas Goel had said then.

In the month of October, the landfill caught fire which took four days to be brought under control, emanating highly toxic smog in its close proximity. AAP has blamed BJP-ruled MCD for playing with the lives of those residing in the vicinity.

“In the last 15 years, the BJP has given three humongous gifts to the people of Delhi in the form of the three infamous garbage mountains. These mountains look so hideous that it brings shame and disrespect to the people of the state. While acknowledging this, we must not forget the plight of those living in a 5 km radius around these trash mountains,” Pathak added.

These landfills are the topic of topmost priority for the Kejriwal-led party in its run-up to the civic body polls due in April 2022. The party has promised to beautify Delhi if it is voted to power this time. The MCD is being ruled by the saffron party since 2007.

Responding to AAP’s statement, the BJP has blamed the former for exaggerating the fire incident.

“Small fire mishaps are a common occurrence world over at landfill sites due to gas generation and such an incident happened at Bhalswa on Saturday. Two days later today Durgesh Pathak raised the issue exaggerating it as a major mishap and concluded his diatribe by announcing the defeat of BJP in ensuing civic elections,” Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor told media.

“This clearly shows that people like Durgesh Pathak have no concern for public welfare and service. They are just craving for power at municipal corporations,” he added.