Fire in Garbage Dump Along Mula-Mutha River Continues; Students Hospitalised Due to Toxic Fumes
Loni Kalbhor (Pune): A massive fire broke out on Friday morning in heaps of garbage illegally dumped along the Mula-Mutha riverbed in Loni Kalbhor, triggering the spread of thick toxic fumes across the area. Several students from the MIT educational campus were hospitalised late Friday night after experiencing breathing difficulties. Fire brigade teams, assisted by campus staff, continued efforts to douse the blaze on Saturday.
The MIT academic campus currently houses nearly 20,000 students from across the state, country and abroad. Of these, around 5,000 students and 1,000 staff members reside within the campus premises. Despite sustained firefighting operations throughout Friday, authorities were unable to completely extinguish the flames. The fire intensified overnight, leading to dense clouds of toxic smoke engulfing the surrounding localities.
Residents, including hostel students, reported breathing problems, eye irritation and throat discomfort due to the noxious fumes. A few students complained of uneasiness and respiratory distress, prompting authorities to rush them to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The thick smoke also drastically reduced visibility in the area, affecting vehicular movement on the Pune–Solapur highway during the early hours of Saturday. Owing to the severity of the situation, a local company suspended operations for the day, while the MIT campus also declared a holiday as a precautionary measure.
Elected representatives and local officials, including members of the Loni Kalbhor and Kadamwakvasti gram panchayats, Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti, along with police officials, visited the site to review the situation.
Despite ongoing nationwide efforts under cleanliness and river conservation initiatives, large quantities of solid waste continue to be directly dumped and frequently set ablaze along the Mula-Mutha riverbed, considered Pune city’s lifeline. Loni Kalbhor and Kadamwakvasti, densely populated gram panchayat areas adjoining Pune city, generate substantial amounts of wet and dry waste daily. However, the absence of designated land and technical infrastructure for solid waste management has worsened the situation.
As a result, nearly 30 to 35 trolley-loads of garbage are reportedly dumped into the riverbed every day. Massive mounds of waste have accumulated over time, spreading foul odour and raising serious public health concerns. Repeated fire incidents have further aggravated air pollution levels, making it increasingly difficult for residents to breathe.
Environmentalists have also flagged concerns over water contamination, stating that indiscriminate dumping is not only causing severe air pollution but also polluting the river water, posing a threat to aquatic life.
Chittaranjan Gaikwad, former sarpanch of Kadamwakvasti gram panchayat, said proposals seeking separate land for a solid waste management project have been submitted multiple times to the district authorities but remain pending at the government level. “If land is allotted urgently, a proper waste management facility can be established. This will stop direct dumping in the riverbed and safeguard both the environment and public health,” he said.
Dr Mahesh Chopde, Registrar of MIT ADT University, Loni Kalbhor, termed the issue extremely serious. “Mountains of garbage have accumulated in the riverbed and frequent fires are causing severe respiratory problems among students. The district administration must intervene immediately, halt illegal dumping and allocate land for a scientific waste management project to protect citizens’ health,” he said.
