Fire destroys illegal scrapyard at Dhavali

Ponda: Just hours after concerns over the safety of scrapyards were raised at the Kavlem gram sabha, a fire gutted an allegedly illegal scrap yard in Dhavali on Sunday evening, reigniting questions about the enforcement of closure orders.

The blaze, which sent thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky, broke out at a scrapyard that local authorities had previously declared illegal and ordered shut. The incident exposed the continued operation of the facility despite the action taken against it by the Kavlem panchayat.

Firefighters from the Ponda central fire station rushed to the site and mounted a major operation to bring the flames under control. No casualties were reported.

Officials said large quantities of cotton waste stored at the yard were completely destroyed in the fire. Local residents said the facility was also being used to stockpile various other materials.

The incident has sparked fresh concerns among residents, who questioned how the scrapyard continued to function despite having been ordered closed by the panchayat.

The fire assumes significance as the issue of scrapyard safety was discussed earlier in the day at the Kavlem gram sabha, with residents raising concerns about the risks posed by such facilities in residential areas.