Garbage slide mars Eid celebrations

NEW DELHI: For the past 18 years, Abdul Sattar has happily celebrated Eid in Gharoli Extension. But this year, the festival was full of fear, after the a garbage mound at the nearby Ghazipur landfill site collapse on Friday, on the eve of Eid.

“It was a sleepless night. My wife and minor children were awake the whole night,” said Sattar.

Talking to Millennium Post, many residents of the Gharoli Extension said that the night before this year's Eid was full of fear. On Saturday, around 10 am, children were seen taking rides on swings set up on the occasion of Eid. Most adults, however, were at the accident spot.

Nadeem, an e-rickshaw driver, said he tried to go to sleep around 1 am, but woke up around 4 am and rushed to the site to check whether any more garbage had fallen.

“In the morning, everyone gathered at the spot praying that no such incident happens again,” said Nadeem.

Ayub, a driver, was able to save himself by standing on top of his cab, which sank into a nearby drain due to the garbage slide. He said he had parked his car just a few minutes before the mound collapsed and pushed his car into the drain.

“I broke the window and came out. I was standing on top of my cab and was saved by the residents,” said Ayub. However, his car, the source of his livelihood, is now damaged. “For the first time, this Eid does not bring me any joy.”

Showing the bruises on his hand, Ayub says that he had recently bought the vehicle and was going to start work for a cab aggregator company.

Residents say it will be tough for them to sleep on Saturday.