The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has come down heavily on authorities in Gurgaon for their prolonged delay in initiating fresh waste processing at the city's massive Bandhwari landfill site. The delay, the tribunal noted, has significantly worsened the ongoing environmental crisis in the region.
NGT Order Highlights Critical Delays and Treatment Gap
In a strongly-worded order dated December 16 and published on December 23, the NGT bench led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel pointed out a critical failure. The tribunal noted that Gurgaon has been without a functional waste treatment facility since July 2024. Shockingly, the tender for fresh waste processing was only published on December 15, 2024, after months of inaction.
The bench also identified a severe treatment capacity shortfall. While Gurgaon generates approximately 1,200 tonnes per day (TPD) of solid waste, the proposed processing capacity in the tender is only 948 TPD. The NGT has directed the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to submit a concrete plan to address this significant gap.
Monsoon Leachate and Groundwater Contamination Risks
The tribunal took serious note of the environmental damage already caused. It highlighted that during the 2024 monsoon, toxic leachate flowed out from the Bandhwari landfill, posing a severe threat of soil and groundwater contamination in the surrounding areas.
In response, the NGT has issued several crucial directives. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has been ordered to impose environmental compensation on the responsible authorities for their non-compliance with Solid Waste Management Rules and for the environmental damage caused by their inaction. Furthermore, the HSPCB must collect and analyse groundwater samples from areas near the landfill and submit its findings. If contamination is confirmed, the MCG will be mandated to ensure a safe drinking water supply for affected residents.
Multiple Agencies Tasked with Inspection and Action Plans
The scope of the NGT's intervention is wide. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been tasked with inspecting the Bandhwari landfill to assess compliance with landfill guidelines, evaluate fire-prevention measures, and review the adequacy of on-site and off-site disaster management plans.
Both the MCG and the HSPCB have been directed to submit detailed status reports and action-taken reports before the next hearing, which is scheduled for March 11, 2026.
In its submitted action plan, the MCG has outlined a timeline. It stated that legacy waste treatment will commence by March 10, 2026, and be completed by March 2027. For fresh waste processing, the civic body informed the tribunal that it sent an estimate of Rs 172 crore for a 10-year period to the Urban Local Bodies department in May 2024, receiving an approval of Rs 27 crore for three years. The MCG plans to begin fresh waste processing by vacating about five acres of land at the Bandhwari site by the first week of May 2026.
