Areas in Central Mumbai like Mulund, Shivaji Nagar and Chembur were the worst affected. (File photo)
Even as an infant died allegedly of suffocation in a locality near Deonar dumping ground where a fire has been raging since last week, the Union Environment Ministry today said future course of action will be taken after a two-member probe team submits its report on Monday.
"My team has gone there and seen the fire. They will submit report by Monday. They will apprise us. After that, we will talk to the state government," Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.
"We will also hold a special meeting next week here with state government officials, Mumbai officials and those who are concerned with the dump waste management in Deonar," he said.
"Regarding the issue, what they are doing and what needs to be done, will be assessed during that meeting," Mr Javadekar told reporters.
Terming the issue as "serious", Mr Javadekar had recently sent a two-member special team to inquire into the fire incident.
Mr Javadekar also had a telephonic conversation with the BMC Commissioner on the issue after which he blamed the fire on the "callousness" of contractors in charge of managing the dumpyard and said action will taken against violators.
Asked if there was a possibility of "sabotage", he had said it will be clear once the team submits its report after their investigation.
Air quality in several parts of Mumbai has oscillated between 'poor' and 'very poor' in the wake of the fire. According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the average level of fine respirable pollutants PM2.5 fell in the 'poor' category in Mumbai recently.
A six-month old boy died in a locality near Deonar dumping ground with the parents saying the baby died of suffocation due to emission of toxic gases from the blaze, a charge refuted by officials.
The infant, Mohammad Sarfaraz, who lived with his parents in Shivaji Nagar near the dumping ground, died early last morning.
The baby's father alleged that his son was suffering from respiratory problems, but ever since the series of fire incidents took place in the vicinity, his condition had worsened and, in the wee hours of Tuesday, they found their child motionless and realised that he had died.
Police said the child had respiratory problems since birth.
Yesterday, a large number of residents had protested at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, demanding an immediate solution to the fire menace in Deonar and neighbouring areas.