A joint inspection report found that the Bakriyanwali dump site in Sirsa lacks a proper system for drainage, collection, treatment and disposal of leachate.
The report flagged legacy waste heaps, poor record-keeping, inadequate waste processing, absence of groundwater monitoring wells and no green buffer zone.
The NGT’s eastern bench heard a challenge to clearances granted for bauxite mining at the Ballada mines in Koraput, Odisha.
In Puri, the NGT directed that no further construction take place on gramya jungle, or village forest land, in Bairipur until further orders.
No proper or adequate system has been provided for the drainage, collection, treatment and disposal of leachate at the Bakriyanwali dump site in Sirsa, Haryana, as required under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. This was stated in a joint inspection report dated May 16, 2026, submitted in compliance with the NGT order of March 17, 2026.
As reported by the applicant, uncontrolled leachate seepage and spillage into adjacent agricultural fields occur during the rainy season. Traces of leachate were also observed during the inspection, indicating the absence of an engineered leachate management system as mandated under the rules.
Records and logbooks related to waste receipt, processing, equipment operation and site activities were not being maintained systematically. Bio-mining and bio-remediation of legacy waste were also not being carried out at the site, as required under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Large heaps of legacy waste were observed, and no functional trommel machine was found operational on site for the scientific processing and segregation of legacy waste. No dedicated vehicle-washing facility for waste transportation vehicles was observed, which is required under the rules. This results in unhygienic conditions and increases the risk of secondary contamination.
Scientific storage and handling of fresh municipal solid waste were not being carried out in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Proper windrow formation for aerobic composting was absent, resulting in inadequate aeration and inefficient biodegradation. Waste was not being placed in a systematic layered manner, adversely affecting stabilisation.
In addition, no application of bio-culture or microbial inoculum was observed for enhancing biodegradation and controlling flies, vectors and odour, as prescribed under processing standards.
Although two trommel machines were found to be in working condition, the rate of waste processing was significantly lower than the quantity of daily incoming waste. This has resulted in continuous accumulation and the formation of fresh waste heaps. The peripheral area along the boundary wall was encroached by waste. The absence of a green buffer zone is contributing to odour dispersion.
No piezometric or observation wells have been installed at or around the site for periodic monitoring of groundwater quality, which is a mandatory requirement under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, for landfill facilities.
The report also made several recommendations. It said a properly designed sloped drainage network with lined channels should be constructed, along with a dedicated leachate collection and treatment system, to ensure complete containment and treatment. Under no circumstances should leachate be allowed to seep outside the site or contaminate soil and groundwater.
Another recommendation was the immediate commencement of bio-mining and bio-remediation of legacy waste using functional trommel machines, with phased clearance strictly in accordance with Central Pollution Control Board guidelines issued in February 2019.
Further, the Municipal Corporation, Sirsa, and the executing agency should conduct a fresh quantification survey, prepare a detailed management plan with a time-bound action schedule, ensure complete clearance of legacy waste within the stipulated timeline and subsequently develop an engineered landfill facility on the reclaimed site.
The eastern bench of the NGT heard the case on May 27, 2026, challenging the grant of clearance for bauxite mining from the Ballada bauxite mines in Koraput, Odisha. The tribunal said no ex-parte injunctive relief would be granted at this stage without giving the respondents an opportunity to be heard. The case is next scheduled for hearing on July 1, 2026.
The appellants challenged the orders dated December 23, 2024, granting Stage-I clearance, and April 16, 2026, granting Stage-II clearance, which culminated in the final diversion order dated May 7, 2026. The appellants contended that Kalinga Alumina failed to conduct proper studies, did not report the true biodiversity of the forests proposed for mining and suppressed the presence of endangered fauna to obtain the challenged clearance, which they said would otherwise have been denied.
They also said the respondents did not discuss compliance with the Forest Rights Act before issuing the clearance, thereby invalidating it. The applicants argued that the clearances should not have been issued without settling FRA claims and obtaining the prior consent of tribal communities.
A letter of intent was issued on March 1, 2023, by the Steel and Mines Department for the grant of a mining lease for bauxite from the Ballada bauxite mines in Ballada village, Nandapur tehsil, Koraput district. The lease covers 144.945 hectares and was issued in favour of Mundra Aluminium Ltd, now renamed Kalinga Alumina Ltd, for 50 years through e-auction.
No further construction should take place in the gramya jungle (village forest) at Bairipur, Gop tehsil, Puri district, Odisha, until further court orders, the NGT directed on May 27, 2026. The District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police, Puri, were directed to take the necessary steps to ensure that no further construction is carried out.
The matter relates to allegations of encroachment and unauthorised construction over gramya jungle, or village forest, by Radhaballav Higher Secondary School. The land belongs to the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management, Odisha. Some buildings already exist on the forest land and construction is ongoing. The educational institution has also allegedly encroached upon gochar, or grazing land, and a waterbody.
The revenue inspector submitted a report to the Tahasildar, Gop, who forwarded it to the Collector, Puri, for necessary action. However, the application stated that the collector, Puri, had taken no action. The NGT had directed the respondents to file their responses on February 16, 2026, but only a few have complied. The tribunal directed the remaining submissions to be made within one month.