Pune, March 1, 2026: A fierce fire has been burning for two days at a garbage dump on the Mula-Mutha riverbed in Loni Kalbhor, spreading thick smoke and raising serious public health and environmental concerns.
The blaze, which began late on February 26, continued into Sunday despite the efforts of more than 25 fire tenders working to control the flames. Trucks continued to dump waste at the site even as firefighters battled the blaze, causing the fire to repeatedly reignite.
The dense, toxic smoke forced MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul to declare a holiday for more than 20,000 students after several reported breathing difficulties on Saturday. At least five students were hospitalised with respiratory problems, though they were later discharged.
Local residents and students described the air as “impossible to breathe,” with thick plumes of smoke reducing visibility on nearby roads and affecting vehicular movement on the Pune-Solapur highway.
Mahesh Chopde, the registrar of MIT ADT University, along with other officials, stated that the institution has officially raised the issue with several authorities, requesting immediate action.
“We had written to the then guardian minister of Pune, Union minister Raj Bhushan Choudhary, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, the principal secretary of the environment department, the CEO of Zilla Parishad Pune, and the BDO of Haveli. The situation along the Mula-Mutha riverbed has reached a critical stage, posing serious health risks. Despite repeated incidents, garbage dumping and burning continues unchecked,” he said in talks with The Times of India, urging immediate action and a scientific solid waste management solution to prevent further risks.
The Loni Kalbhor sarpanch acknowledged inadequate infrastructure for waste handling and said garbage piles have been accumulating due to the lack of designated disposal sites. He noted similar fires have occurred in the past and called for formal systems to manage solid waste rather than dumping it in the riverbed.
Environmental activists and community members say the burning not only creates airborne toxic pollution but also threatens the Mula-Mutha river ecosystem, potentially contaminating water and harming aquatic life.
The latest incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for sustainable waste infrastructure and stricter enforcement to protect public health and the river environment in Pune’s rapidly urbanising landscape.