NGT orders multiple joint committees to probe pollution and illegal mining cases in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha.
UltraTech Cement’s Bichhapuri coal mine accused of contaminating Sone and Murna rivers, affecting Baiga tribal communities.
West Bengal reprimanded for a “materially deficient” report on the polluted and encroached Saraswati river.
Illegal sand mining in Cuttack prompts fresh NGT inquiry amid allegations of EC violations and night-time extraction.
Authorities across states directed to file detailed action taken reports within strict timelines.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on November 19, 2025 directed the constitution of a joint committee to look into allegations of pollution of the Sone and Murna rivers in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, by UltraTech Cement Ltd’s Bichhapuri coal mine. The joint committee was instructed to examine the grievances of the applicant, verify the factual position and take appropriate remedial action by following due process of law, and to submit its report within two months.
The responses of the respondents and the report of the joint committee are to be filed before the central bench of the NGT, with the next hearing scheduled for January 7, 2026.
The NGT also directed the state of Madhya Pradesh through the principal secretary for environment, forest and climate change; the district magistrate for Shahdol; the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board; and UltraTech Cement Ltd’s Bichhapuri coal mine to submit their responses.
The matter relates to pollution of the Sone and Murna rivers in Shahdol by the Bichhapuri coal mine. The application was filed by Ashok Patel, a resident of Sindhuri Baiga Tola, Shahdol district.
Scientific studies conducted by Banaras Hindu University in 2021 and published in the journal International Journal of Chemical Studies in 2024 confirmed dangerously high levels of biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and turbidity, far above permissible limits, indicating heavy industrial contamination. The Murna river, a tributary of the Sone, carries toxic discharge from the coal mine, directly affecting the drinking water and health of more than 1,200 Baiga tribal residents, the application stated.
The NGT on November 20, 2025 expressed dissatisfaction with the report filed by the chief secretary of West Bengal on river Saraswati, saying the report was “materially deficient” regarding information on compliance with court orders. Counsel for the state sought two months’ time to file an updated action taken report.
The NGT accepted the request and said the action report should contain all requisite details regarding action already taken or proposed with respect to: the total untreated sewage flowing into river Saraswati with the specific number of drains; total solid waste generated; an action plan with details of all projects to be carried out for treatment of sewage and for management and disposal of solid waste; budgetary allocation for each project; and the final date or timeline (with reasonable margin) for making the projects functional.
The report should also contain particulars of the nodal officers nominated for monitoring, and measures taken to fix accountability for prosecution or departmental action in case of non-completion within the specified time, the order said.
The matter relates to the failure of authorities to prevent pollution and encroachment of river Saraswati, which flows through Hooghly and Howrah districts of West Bengal before joining the Ganga. It was alleged that the water quality had deteriorated due to continuous uncontrolled pollution from untreated sewage discharged along a 50-kilometre stretch, and that encroachments on the riverbanks were blocking the river’s flow.
The NGT on November 19, 2025 directed the constitution of a joint committee to look into allegations of illegal sand extraction in village Balada, tahasil Kantapada, district Cuttack, Odisha. The committee will comprise representatives from the CPCB, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and the collector/district magistrate, Cuttack.
The committee has been directed to undertake site visits, examine the grievances of the applicant, associate the applicant and a representative of the project proponent, verify the factual position and suggest appropriate remedial action. The collector/district magistrate, Cuttack will act as the nodal agency for coordination and compliance. The joint committee’s report must be filed within one month.
The NGT’s eastern bench directed that notices be issued to the OSPCB, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Odisha, among others, and instructed them to submit their responses.
Suryavanshi Earth Movers is alleged to have violated environmental clearance (EC) conditions by carrying out illegal sand mining, including using heavy machinery and excavators, which has adversely affected river flow velocity, discharge capacity and sediment transport, causing flooding and affecting villagers’ lives.
Further, the miner is accused of transporting sand in overloaded vehicles without tarpaulin covers, causing air pollution, and of using village roads and embankment roads in violation of EC conditions. Mining is also alleged to be conducted illegally at night. The miner has not carried out any plantation on the banks of the river Devi, along the approach road or elsewhere. The applicant and other villagers made complaints to the authorities concerned, but no action has been taken.