BENGALURU: Quarry-blasting adjacent to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) quarry in Bellahalli has triggered a fire in the dump, disrupting waste collection in the city for eight days.Though civic officials were tightlipped about the blaze, garbage piling up in Bengaluru had triggered panic among citizens. However, on Tuesday, officials and contractors resumed lifting of garbage as the fire subsided. A few more days are required to restore complete normalcy, sources said.According to sources, the first quarry blast took place on March 12 and the flames were was doused by BBMP personnel with help of the fire brigade. Quarry owners Sampath and Rafiq were warned against illegal blasting but the duo allegedly carried out another explosion, triggering a blaze. It took nearly 48 hours for the civic agency to bring the fire under control.Bellahalli gram panchayat president Ashok Gowda said they have been campaigning against illegal quarry-blasting in Bellahalli area but their voices haven’t been heard.Mahesh Reddy, a Koramangala resident, said it’s been eight days since waste was lifted from his apartment, and the entire basement was stinking. The menace worsened in various areas over the past week, especially Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Basavanagudi , Koramangala, Indiranagar and Kodigehalli, some areas in Whitefield, Shantinagar, west and northern parts of Bengaluru.BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad confirmed that the Bellahalli quarry had witnessed fire due to some miscreants, which had hit garbage collection disposal in the city. “The situation is improving but it’ll take a few more days for things to return to normal,” he said.Meanwhile, the agency has filed a complaint with the revenue division tashildar seeking action against Rafiq and Sampath for undertaking illegal quarry-blasting.

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