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NGT rebukes Ggm and F’bad civic bodies over rising legacy waste at Bandhwari landfill

The watchdog pointed out that there is no disclosure of the daily quantity of legacy waste currently being bio-remediated or mined, nor has the breakdown of various waste fractions and their subsequent disposal been provided

Published on: Apr 25, 2025, 07:02:14 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Gurugram: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday reprimanded the Municipal Corporations of Gurugram and Faridabad for their failure to manage the mounting legacy waste at the Bandhwari landfill. The environmental watchdog, during its hearing on April 15, observed with concern that despite prior affidavits and claims of progress, the total quantity of unprocessed waste has increased at the site instead of decreasing.

Mounting legacy waste at the Bandhwari landfill in Gurugram. (HT PHOTO)

The bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava (chairperson), Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Dr A Senthil Vel (expert member), was hearing two ongoing cases— Poonam Yadav vs Ecogreen Energy Pvt Ltd & Ors and Vivek Kamboj vs Union of India & Ors. The cases concern longstanding mismanagement of municipal solid waste and its environmental impact on the Aravalli region.

According to an affidavit dated April 9, submitted by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), the total unprocessed legacy waste as of March 31, 2025, stood at 11.32 lakh metric tonnes (MT), a significant rise from the 8.84 lakh MT figure disclosed in December 2024. The tribunal noted that instead of reducing the legacy waste, the figures show that the problem has worsened.

Meanwhile, Faridabad is contributing an additional 415 TPD of waste while processing only 585 TPD, further burdening the Bandhwari site.

The NGT also criticised the lack of a consistent or transparent plan for setting up waste processing infrastructure. The previous proposal for a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant has now been replaced by a torrefied charcoal project through a memorandum signed with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. (NVVNL) on July 20, 2024. This facility, which promises to process 1500 TPD from Gurugram and 1200 TPD from Faridabad, will not be commissioned before 2027.

The tribunal has now directed the commissioners of both Gurugram and Faridabad municipal corporations to file fresh affidavits within six weeks. These affidavits must comprehensively detail the quantity of waste being treated daily, the machinery and infrastructure available, final disposal mechanisms for residual waste, and a definitive timeline for the complete remediation of legacy waste.

Further, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has been ordered to submit a separate affidavit disclosing the amount of environmental compensation (EC) levied and recovered from the two civic bodies. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has also submitted a fresh report on April 11, which will be formally placed on record.

Responding to the Tribunal’s observations, Ashok Kumar Garg, commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, said, “There are two private companies currently engaged in processing waste at the Bandhwari landfill, and the volume of processed waste has been increasing day by day. We are hopeful to clear the landfill site by June.”

The NGT has listed the matter for the next hearing on August 14.

The tribunal’s observations underline the urgent need for actionable, transparent, and scientifically sound waste management strategies in Gurugram and Faridabad to prevent further environmental degradation in the Aravalli region.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

...Read MoreLeena 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 Less

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