Dal Lake conservation: NGT-directed committee implemented sewage treatment upgrades, buffer zones, pollution control for lake rejuvenation.
River Sahibi restoration: NGT ordered states, MoEFCCC to map, restore and revive the historical River Sahibi course.
Faridabad landfill dumping: NGT addressed illegal waste dumping by MCG contractors outside Faridabad jurisdiction.
Buffer zones have been created all along the periphery of the Dal Lake to ensure that the lake area is saved from encroachment, stated the Joint Committee report September 30, 2025.
The joint committee was constituted on the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) August 21, 2024. The court said that Dal Lake and the two backflow channels (Nayadar and Jogilankar) are almost anaerobic and have high organic load going up to 23.5 milligrammes per litre.
The joint committee conducted site inspection of the Dal and Nigeen lakes in Srinagar on October 28, 2024. The Jammu and Kashmir Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) is responsible for managing and conserving the lakes in Srinagar.
LCMA shared the status of infrastructure relating to solid waste management and sewage treatment facilities in the two lakes.
The sewage coming out of 18 municipal wards and other areas within the jurisdiction of J&K LCMA is about 52.40 million litres per day (MLD). Presently, the sewage is catered through functional sewerage treatment plants which include the Brari-Nambal sewage treatment plant, the Nallah Amir Khan, the Hazratbal sewage treatment plant (STP), among others.
Further, on pilot project basis, 100 bio-digesters have been installed through which sewage is being arrested. In addition to the existing sewerage infrastructure, the joint committee was informed that 30 MLD STP is being constructed at Gupt Ganga Ishber Nishat at a cost of Rs 305 crore, for catering the gap of sewage generated and treated.
The comprehensive project report (DPR) on sewerage scheme for reducing pollution in Dal Lake, including the construction of STP for areas not yet covered under AMRUT 2.0, has been put out for tender by the J&K Urban Environmental & Engineering Department (UEED) and is currently undergoing technical evaluation.
The J&K LCMA has created various oxidation ponds in the periphery of the lake, especially on the northern side, the main catchment. About 8-10 MLD sewage is being routed through these oxidation ponds for removal of nutrient load before entering into the lake through natural detention and oxidation. This is a temporary arrangement till it is connected with the proposed 30 MLD STP to be constructed at Gupt Ganga by UEED.
With respect to back-side channels like Jogi Lanker, Naidyar Rainawari and Nowpora, the areas are connected through seven integrated pumping stations from Salda Kadal to Daulatabad Nowpora, and assisted by 11 low-level pumping stations connected with the network and finally draining into Brari Nambal STP.
Further, in order to cater to the sewage coming out of the houseboats in Dal and Nigeen lakes, a project at an estimated cost of Rs 9.90 crore has been already completed. Accordingly, out of a total of 617 houseboats, 570 houseboats have been connected with the sewerage network on scientific lines, while 47 remained unconnected or scattered.
The houseboats in Dal Lake have been divided into 11 clusters and each cluster is provided with a sump-cum-pumping station. From these stations, the houseboats are connected through HDPE pipes to main trunk sewer, wherefrom the sewage is treated at Brari Numbal STP.
LCMA has also issued notices to unconnected houseboats for realigning / shifting to the feasible sites for sewer connectivity or to have their own sewage disposal mechanism in place by way of modular STPs of required capacity.
NGT directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCCC) October 9, 2025 to file its response within two weeks on the restoration of the water channel, which was earlier known as river Sahibi but was later named as Najafgarh drain.
The tribunal had noted February 12, 2025 that the matter involved environmental questions related to the supply of drinking water to the surrounding villages; cleaning of Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) recharging channel and Masani barrage; compliance with environmental norms by STPs; reuse of treated sewage; treatment of industrial effluents and (vi) rejuvenation of River Sahibi.
Haryana and Delhi were directed to file responses giving details regarding land, through which River Sahibi was flowing and also the survey maps / Google images.
Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi were also directed to file their responses specifically mentioning the requisite details regarding the river course / channel through which River Sahibi was flowing in Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi prior to 1977, in which it resulted in heavy floods in Haryana and Delhi, and also to file copies of survey maps and google images showing the river course / channel of the river Sahibi.
The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad, in its report to NGT October 9, 2025, said the area ranging from 0.5-2.5 acres at six locations — Fatehpur Taga, Samaypur, Dhauj-Ballabgarh road, Dhauj, Nupur Dhumaspur and Mangar village — where illegal dumping of waste had taken place, does not fall under its jurisdiction.
An application was registered suo-motu on the basis of the news item titled Illegal waste dumping leads to environmental fears in Faridabad in the newspaper Hindustan Times June 27, 2025, regarding the illegal excavation and dumping of the municipal solid waste at Dhauj area of Faridabad district.
The Municipal Corporation Faridabad carried out the physical inspection of the alleged area and observed that the area with GPS coordinates mentioned in the letter issued by the Deputy Commissioner does not fall under its jurisdiction. The area is under Panchayat administration / district administration and therefore does not come under the Municipal Corporation Faridabad operational limits.
NGT was informed that as per the joint committee inspection team of Mines and Geology Department and Regional Officer, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), the waste was being dumped by two private contractors — Greentech and Adarsh Bharat Enviro Private Ltd, engaged for disposal of waste from the Bhandwari landfill site, which is operated and managed by the Municipal Corporation Gurgaon (MCG).
As the area does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad and the illegal excavation and dumping of solid waste at the area was done by the private agency contracted by the MCG, therefore the action taken report has to be filed by MCG and the Panchayat Division, stated the report.