A fire at a bio-waste management site near the crematorium in Mahaluge, Pune, has continued to smoulder for two days, according to residents of Sarathi Skybay Society who say recurring smoke has affected air quality in the surrounding neighbourhood.
Residents said the blaze continued despite efforts by the fire brigade to bring it under control and reportedly reignited after initial firefighting operations. Thick smoke from the site has made it difficult to breathe, they said, prompting complaints to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the fire brigade.
Residents have claimed that the Air Quality Index in the area reached around 500. The figure has not been independently confirmed in the supplied report, but residents said the persistent smoke had raised concerns about exposure among children, senior citizens and people with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
The site is located close to residential development and a local crematorium. Residents have demanded that the fire be completely extinguished and that the waste stored at the facility be safely removed. They have also called for the bio-waste management facility to be relocated away from residential neighbourhoods.
According to the residents, extinguishing the current fire would not resolve the wider problem unless measures are taken to prevent repeated incidents. Their demands include safer waste disposal practices, regular air-quality monitoring and preventive systems to reduce the risk of fires at the site.
The fire brigade and municipal authorities have been working to bring the situation under control, according to the report. Residents have urged the municipal administration to intervene urgently and provide a permanent solution to the smoke and fire risks.
The immediate next step is the complete extinguishing of the blaze and removal or safe management of the affected waste. Residents are also seeking continuing monitoring of air quality and action on their demand to shift the facility away from nearby homes.
