Sewage tankers found dumping waste in Aravallis; MCG orders probe

The contractor allegedly diverted waste into forest depressions, leaving behind foul smell, contaminated soil and fresh pockets of sludge scattered across the eco-sensitive zone, said officials.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has ordered a high-level inquiry after an environmentalist allegedly caught the civic body’s sewage tankers dumping untreated waste inside the Aravalli forests near Ghata and Bandhwari villages—an incident environmentalists call a serious violation on Monday.

Officials said the misuse of tankers is alarming as Gurugram has a structured sewage-management system designed precisely to prevent such dumping. (HT photo)

The tankers, outsourced from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for routine sewage-lifting duties, were contracted to transport waste strictly to authorised sewage treatment plants (STPs). However, the contractor allegedly diverted loads of waste into forest depressions, leaving behind foul smell, contaminated soil and fresh pockets of sludge scattered across the eco-sensitive zone, said officials.

Officials said the misuse of tankers is alarming as Gurugram has a structured sewage-management system designed precisely to prevent such dumping. The city operates three major STPs, located at Dhanwapur and Behrampur, which together treat lakhs of litres of sewage daily. Once treated, the water is either discharged into the Najafgarh drain or repurposed for horticulture, landscaping and limited industrial uses, added officials.

“Bypassing the STPs and dumping raw sewage in the Aravallis is not just illegal—it defeats the very purpose of Gurugram’s sewage-treatment infrastructure,” an MCG engineer said.

Residents said the incident reflects a worrying pattern. “There are waste dumps everywhere—plastic, garbage and now sewage. Officials must penalise the people responsible and take strict action. The Aravallis cannot survive these repeated assaults,” said Kusum Sharma, a resident of Suncity Township in sector 54.

MCG said immediate steps have been initiated. Ravinder Yadav, additional commissioner said a special team has already been formed to inspect the geo-tagged spot. “We have zero tolerance for such violations. A team will visit the site and ensure the waste is removed at the earliest. Strict action will be taken against the contractor and the driver involved,” he said, adding that the civic body would also review monitoring mechanisms to prevent such diversions in future.

Vijaypal, an MCG supervisor said the incident was unprecedented. “This is the first time such a lapse has come to our notice. We were not aware that the tanker had dumped sewage in the Aravallis,” he said.

The Forest department also stepped in with a firm warning. Dr. Subhash Yadav, Conservator of Forests said, “No one is allowed to release waste, sewage or debris inside forest land. We will examine the location, identify the violators and take necessary legal action. The Aravallis cannot become a dumping ground.”

Environmental experts said the incident highlights systemic gaps in monitoring and is likely not an isolated case. The inquiry will now determine how the tanker bypassed discharge protocols, whether other vehicles were involved and what lapses allowed the illegal dumping to go unnoticed.