NGT Directs MCD To Submit Time-Bound Plan For Ghazipur Landfill

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to place on record a time-bound action plan for clearing legacy waste and managing daily waste at the Ghazipur landfill site.

A Bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad granted four weeks' time to the MCD to examine the submissions filed by the Court Commissioner in response to its status report.

The direction came in a suo motu case registered on the basis of a media report titled "Major fire erupts at Delhi's Ghazipur landfill site, smoke engulfs region", highlighting recurring fire incidents and environmental concerns at the dumpsite.

"Respondent – MCD is also directed to place on record the time-bound action plan for clearing the waste dumped in Ghazipur landfill site and for treating the daily waste which is reaching the said landfill site," the green tribunal said in its order.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 6.

The NGT has been monitoring the issue of solid waste mismanagement at the Ghazipur landfill site since April 2024, when it took suo motu cognisance of a major fire incident that engulfed nearby areas in smoke and raised serious environmental and public health concerns.

Earlier, in March 2025, the NGT had appointed an advocate commissioner to verify the ground situation after finding inconsistencies between reports filed by the MCD and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

In her inspection report, the Court Commissioner had flagged several serious lapses, including the landfill height exceeding permissible limits, the absence of boundary walls leading to waste spilling into nearby drains, and a lack of proper leachate management resulting in contamination of drain water flowing into the Yamuna.

Taking note of these deficiencies, the green tribunal had earlier directed the MCD to furnish a workable and time-bound plan for waste processing, biomining of legacy waste, and prevention of fire incidents and environmental hazards.

Subsequently, in October 2025, the NGT had sought details regarding the utilisation of waste-to-energy plants and the quantum of electricity generated, while continuing to examine compliance by the civic authorities.

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