Surat: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) plans to install CCTV cameras and create permanent water storage facilities at the Khajod waste disposal site after a series of fires that have raised concerns among residents. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) also issued a show-cause notice to the civic body, seeking an explanation over alleged negligence.Officials said the decision to create dedicated water storage stems from the large quantity of water required to control fires at the site, located on the city’s outskirts. In recent incidents, the Surat Fire and Emergency Services (SFES) had to source water from industries in the Sachin industrial area, leading to delays in firefighting operations.A fire reignited at the site on April 6, with flames flaring up in a section where stocks of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) was kept, due to high temperatures and shifting wind directions. Smoke spread towards the north-east, though officials said timely measures helped contain the situation. They added that rising temperatures and continuous methane emissions at the site have increased the risk of recurring fires.Earlier, on March 24, a massive blaze spread across nearly 2 square km of the dumpsite, affecting RDF and recyclable waste stock behind the Pre-Sort 1 area.To prevent further spread, authorities deployed 18 hydraulic excavators and backhoe loaders. More than 150 truckloads of soil were dumped to smother the flames. Over 12 fire engines, water bowsers and more than 50 firefighters were engaged in the operation. Officials said over 8 million litres of water were used to douse the fire.
