Mohali, Oct. 13 -- A fire at the Shahi Majra garbage dumping site in Mohali, which broke out on the night of October 1, continued to smoulder on Monday, with smoke spreading towards nearby residential areas and disrupting business at the adjoining market. Standing near the site for barely 10 minutes is difficult, said shopkeepers and residents nearby.

The blaze has persisted for nearly two weeks despite rainfall and repeated firefighting efforts. On Monday morning, some vendors arrived with their carts but left by the afternoon due to the smoke. Across the road, houses stand close to the site, while Phase 5 food outlets and market are also nearby.

Residents and traders said the ongoing fire had disrupted daily life, posing health risks ...