The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered joint committee probes into three separate pollution cases across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
In Gorakhpur, the tribunal acted on complaints of untreated industrial effluent discharged by GIDA into the Aami river.
Residents of Sambhal raised grievances over illegal dumping of solid, biomedical, and chemical waste at Rasulpur Sarai.
The Daha river in Bihar faces a “serious existential crisis” from untreated sewage and industrial effluent, the NGT noted.
Authorities across both states have been asked to submit reports and responses within stipulated timelines.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on October 6, 2025 directed the constitution of a joint committee to investigate the complaint regarding the discharge of untreated industrial effluent by the Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA) through the Saraya drain into the Aami river, a tributary of the Ganga, near village Adilapar, development block Piprauli, district Gorakhpur.
The joint committee will comprise representatives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), and the District Magistrate, Gorakhpur. The report of the joint committee is to be filed within one month, the order stated.
The tribunal also directed the submission of a response from the state of Uttar Pradesh through the chief secretary; principal secretary, environment and climate change; principal secretary, irrigation department; district magistrate, Gorakhpur; Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority; and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board.
The date of the next hearing was scheduled for January 12, 2026.
The grievances of residents of Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, against illegal dumping at Rasulpur Sarai were taken up by the NGT on October 6, 2025. The residents had sent a letter petition to the tribunal, upon which suo motu cognisance was taken.
The applicants raised concerns regarding illegal dumping and environmental pollution at Rasulpur Sarai, near Darya Sar graveyard, Sambhal. They alleged that unauthorised dumping of municipal solid waste, biomedical waste, and chemical waste was being carried out without the implementation of proper safeguards.
Originally a minor waste collection point, the site has unlawfully expanded into a large-scale landfill, with dumping ongoing since 2014-2015. The Municipal Council, Sambhal, has allegedly perpetuated violations by dumping untreated, unsegregated waste daily, the complaint said.
Since 2021, multiple complaints have been filed with the Municipal Board, Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, CM Portal, Uttar Pradesh, and the Office of the District Magistrate, Sambhal. Despite this, no substantial remedial action has been taken. Authorities have merely conducted superficial measures such as water sprinkling and have falsely attributed recurring fires to unidentified acts of arson, rather than addressing the fundamental issues of methane build-up, improper waste management, and lack of preventive planning, according to the application filed with the NGT.
The NGT on October 6 directed a joint committee comprising representatives of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the District Magistrate, Sambhal, to visit the site, examine the applicant’s grievances, associate the applicant and representatives of the concerned project proponent, verify the factual position, and suggest appropriate remedial action.
The Daha river in Bihar is facing a “serious existential crisis”, and the authorities have “turned a blind eye”, stated the application filed before the NGT and taken up by the court on October 6, 2025. The tribunal directed the concerned authorities, including the Bihar Infrastructure Development Corporation and the Bihar State Pollution Control Board, to file their responses.
The NGT’s Eastern Bench will next hear the matter on December 10, 2025.
The applicant, Prayag Kumar, had filed a complaint on May 27, 2025 on the public grievances portal of the NGT. He raised concerns over the discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluent into the Daha river, which originates in Gopalganj district, flows through Siwan to Chhapra, and joins the Gandak river. Drain water is reportedly being dumped into the river at several points along its course.
In 2023, the chief engineer, flood control and water disposal, water resources department, Gopalganj, had prepared a concept note for the Gandak-Daha-Ghaghra River Link Scheme, which was forwarded to the Bihar government. However, the project has not commenced due to the lack of technical and administrative approval.
The applicant also approached the Flood Control Office, Gopalganj, Commissioner, Saran, and the Jal Shakti Ministry, but received no response.