New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- In the first week of September 2025, northern Minicoy island in Lakshadweep woke up to a scene that felt apocalyptic. Black, noxious clouds mushroomed above the horizon, blotting out the turquoise sky and suffocating residents even 200 metres away. The acrid smoke did not come from a passing vessel or an industrial site-Minicoy has none. It rose from their own backyard, where years of accumulated waste had been quietly heaped into a smouldering mountain. When it finally caught fire, the blaze raged for days, filling the air with poison, leaching toxins into lagoons and reefs, and leaving islanders wondering if the paradise they call home is already past saving.

The fire was no accident. It was the inevitable outcom...