₹100 cr plan for waste disposal at Bandhwari landfill

The proposal comes ahead of the December 17 deadline for the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to submit a status report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the progress of waste disposal at the Bandhwari plant

Updated on: Dec 15, 2024, 05:16:19 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Gurugram: A ₹100 crore plan for the disposal of over 10 lakh tonnes of legacy waste at the Bandhwari Solid Waste Treatment Plant has been submitted for approval to the Department of Urban Local Bodies (ULB). The plan is expected to be cleared in the upcoming purchase committee meeting, chaired by Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, MCG officials said.

Currently, the Bandhwari site holds approximately 10 lakh tonnes of legacy waste, down from an estimated 32 lakh tonnes four years ago. (HT PHOTO)

The proposal comes ahead of the December 17 deadline for the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to submit a status report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the progress of waste disposal at the Bandhwari plant. Earlier this year, MCG had assured the NGT via an affidavit that the entire waste mountain would be cleared by December 2024. However, with the target unmet, the corporation is set to request an additional six months to complete the process.

Currently, the Bandhwari site holds approximately 10 lakh tonnes of legacy waste, down from an estimated 32 lakh tonnes four years ago. The site previously dealt with waste disposal under contracts with agencies whose agreements have since expired. The new plan involves engaging three new agencies to clear the remaining waste.

MCG commissioner Ashok Garg said, “The ₹100 crore plan for the disposal of legacy waste at Bandhwari has been sent for approval. It will be presented in the meeting chaired by the chief minister.”

Garg said that the Bandhwari plant receives about 2,000 tonnes of waste daily from Gurugram and an additional 1,000 tonnes from Faridabad. The MCG has claimed a daily disposal capacity of 10,000 tonnes at the site. “Environmentalists and local activists have kept up pressure on MCG following a case filed with the NGT, seeking accountability and timely action to address the environmental hazards posed by the towering pile of waste,” he said.

The NGT has previously criticized the delays and inefficiencies in waste management at Bandhwari, highlighting the impact on the region’s environment and public health. The MCG’s inability to meet its earlier commitments has intensified scrutiny, prompting this renewed effort to accelerate waste disposal operations.

The proposed ₹100 crore plan outlines a comprehensive strategy to ensure the removal of all remaining waste, alongside measures to prevent future accumulation. The committee’s decision will determine when the project begins, marking a significant step toward resolving Gurugram’s long-standing waste crisis.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More