River Mahan damage: NGT orders replies, joint report on illegal sand quarries harming biodiversity, flow.
Dindori stone crusher: NGT forms committee to probe illegal crusher causing pollution, lacking permissions.
Chennai industries: NGT directs TNPCB to ban unlicensed polluting units near eucational institutions; case closed.
The central bench of the National Green Tribunal April 9, 2026 asked respondents to file reply on allegations of uncontrolled excavation of the River Mahan riverbed.
NGT also called for a report on the matter from a joint committee consisting of one representative each from the Collector of Singrauli, the Divisional Forest Officer of Van Mandal, Singrauli and the Member Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh State Pollution Control Board. The Committee is directed to visit the site and submit a factual and action taken report within six weeks.
The matter concerns the destruction of Mahan in Deosar tehsil, Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh by Sahkar Global Ltd. The project proponent is operating the Kari, Majauna and Jiyawan sand quarries in Kari village on River Mahan.
The application stated that uncontrolled excavation of its riverbeds is affecting the river's aquatic biodiversity, natural flow regime, riverbank stability and groundwater recharge capacity.
As documented by GPS-tagged photographic evidence and contemporaneous newspaper reportage, the project proponent has deployed heavy poclain machines and poaching cum sluicing machines in the active main channel, the Dhara, of the Mahan river, far beyond the permitted lease boundary, in direct contravention of NGT orders, the Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines, 2016 and the Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020, according to the application.
Upon site inspection, the Singrauli Forest Department found the mining to be illegal. They noted that the project proponent never obtained the mandatory Forest No Objection Certificate (NOC) — a precondition for operating a quarry near forest land — for this site.
Despite repeated complaints and documented evidence, the mining officer and the district administration failed to take effective remedial action and effectively enabled this illegal enterprise, the application stated.
The central bench of NGT on April 9, 2026 directed the constitution of a three-member joint committee to look into the complaint of illegal operation of a stone crusher at Kisalpuri village in Dindori, Madhya Pradesh.
The committee members would comprise one representative each from the District Magistrate, Dindori; Director, Geology and Mining, Madhya Pradesh; and Member Secretary, Madhya Pradesh State Pollution Control Board. The committee is directed to visit the site and submit the factual and action taken report within six weeks.
The applicant's grievances concern the illegal operation of a stone crusher unit situated on land recorded as agricultural in the revenue records at Kisalpuri.
The crusher is operating without lawful land-use conversion (diversion) under the Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code and without obtaining mandatory environmental permissions, including consent to establish and consent to operate under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and without Environmental Clearance, if applicable, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The crusher's unregulated operation has caused serious environmental degradation, including air and noise pollution, excessive dust emissions, damage to adjoining agricultural fields, adverse impacts on the groundwater regime and grave health hazards for the local population, the application stated.
NGT directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) April 7, 2026 to ensure that small industries without appropriate license / consent are not permitted near educational institutions and to monitor this vigilantly.
Environmental issues adjacent to educational institutions, including air pollution, high heat, poor sanitation, burning plastic and noise directly impact the students’ health, focus and attendance. These problems which are due to proximity to heavy traffic or poor infrastructure and heat, lead to poor health of the students, said Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana.
It is evident that companies, without even obtaining appropriate license / approval / consent from the authorities concerned, are not only operating clandestinely but also violating all environmental norms. It appears that TNPCB has already taken steps and given them an opportunity for a personal hearing, which should reach a logical conclusion. They'll not be given consent to operate in the future unless penalties for past violations are recovered, the order said.
Since all polluting industries have been proceeded against in accordance with the law by the TNPCB, and the report submitted by the TNPCB clearly shows that the grievances raised in the letter petition have been fully addressed, the court has closed the case.
A letter petition was received from the students of Gojan School of Business and Technology, Chennai, addressed to the Mudhalvarin Mugavari Department (Tamil Nadu CM helpline), with a copy marked to NGT.
In the letter petition, the students highlighted certain environmental and safety concerns caused by nearby companies. Several companies operating near the college burn plastic and have insufficient sanitation, waste disposal and septic tank management, they alleged. They also obstruct public roads with heavy vehicles and create noise pollution as well as other illegal activities, the application pointed out.
TNPCB, in its report dated April 1, 2026, addressed the complaint stated in the letter petition that unsegregated garbage is being dumped in heaps along the roadside, causing a strong stench, along with plastic burning and septic tank discharge, leading to serious environmental concerns.
TNPCB conducted an inspection on February 18, 2025, when no plastic burning or disposal of sewage was observed in the area. However, it was noticed that there are 10 establishments, such as engineering industries, waste plastic recycling plants, hot mix facility in operation without consent from TNPCB. Hence, show cause notices were issued on February 20, 2025.
Another complaint was received through the Chief Minister’s Grievance Redressal Cell, stating that the companies are creating significant problems like plastic burning. Once again, an inspection was conducted on May 10, 2025. During the inspection, it was observed that there was no plastic burning or disposal of sewage or effluent. However, two units were operating, namely a non-alcoholic beverage manufacturing industry and a mineral grinding industry. Show cause notices were issued to the two industries.
The TNPCB report also contained a table indicating the decisions taken during the personal hearing and the current status of the industries.