Gurugram, Dec. 8 -- Residents of sector 52 and 52A alleged that a vacant plot has turned into an illegal garbage dumping ground. Locals said that over 1,000 shanties have occupied the approximately 100-acre stretch, further worsening the sanitation condition in the area. Residents said the problem escalated steadily. "The issue worsened in 2022. Now, it feels like there is no end to the problem," said Sunit Dhull, a sector 52 resident. "This plot is opposite Ardee City. People living in shanties are often seen working as ragpickers but are not associated with Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG). They segregate the waste and throw it in the vacant plot," said a resident of sector 52A, requesting anonymity. Residents also reported frequent incidents of burning garbage. "We often see smoke rising from the heaps of waste. We are not sure about the cause of the fire. We have repeatedly raised the issue with the MCG and our ward councillor, Sonia Yadav, but no action has been taken so far," said Suraj Mal Yadav, sector 52, RWA member. "Some residents have private AQI monitors which show that the readings in this area have crossed the 500 mark. It has become a major health hazard," he said. The plot is barely 2 kilometres from the Millennium City Centre metro station and adjacent to the Wazirabad Sports Complex, they said. Locals said the vacant plot is a disputed piece of land between the government and nearby villagers, and was once a popular spot for children to play cricket. "Now, parents have stopped their children from going there due to the mounting garbage," shared Dhull. Yadav said a team of officials had visited the site and issued challans to those found burning garbage. "People living in the shanties burn plastic and waste.We have repeatedly told them not to do so, but they do not listen. I have spoken to MCG officials and raised the matter with Haryana minister Rao Narbir Singh," she added. She added that officials will begin evening patrols in the area from November 8 and are planning to develop a green belt along the stretch. Meanwhile, a MCG official said that the matter has been taken cognisance of and assured that action will be taken soon....