The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on September 26, 2025, directed the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to disclose the status of compliance relating about the throwing of muck generated during construction of roads and plantation of trees in the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. NGT also asked MoRTH to submit a fresh status report disclosing the progress.
The matter related to construction extending up to a length of 97/103.55 km in Himachal Pradesh. MoRTH undertook the process of two-lane upgradation of the existing single-lane Paonta Sahib-Guma section at National Highway 707.
The Union ministry filed the Mitigation Measures and Management Plan and the court directed it to disclose the timeline for item wise completion of the measures.
The applicant had alleged that contractors are destroying the Himalayan ecology and natural vegetation during the road widening and upgradation process. They break and cut the hills on one side of the road and throw the debris (including boulders, stones, dust) on the steep hill on the other side of the road into the valley.
According to the allegation, the entire hilly area measuring 97 km long on the downside slope is getting destroyed. This includes natural vegetation, river streams, habitations and wildlife. The applicant also alleged that crores of trees including pine and deodar have been destroyed and thousands of minor and major river streams have either been covered up with debris or have changed their course.
The interim report of the joint committee dated April 9, 2024, had acknowledged damage to natural sources of drinking water due to debris. Village residents were found using Kuhls to convey water from nearby streams for irrigation, spot inspection revealed. These streams flow downstream of the NH 707.
“It is true that many of these streams were found to be obstructed with debris and sediments, leading to damage to the Kuhls and consequently disrupting water supply to the villages,” the report said.
It added that “despite conflicting explanations regarding the cause of damage, with the applicant attributing it to contractors’ negligence and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and its Contractors attributing it to natural landslides, it is imperative that these natural water sources be restored by MoRTH through its contractors without any delay. This is necessary to uphold the basic right to access drinking water for nearby villages”.
The NGT on September 25, 2025, noted that the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) action has already initiated/taken action for imposition and recovery of environmental compensation on brick kilns in Saharanpur district found violating environmental norms. The NGT directed the UPPCB to complete the process in accordance with law.
The NGT registered the case application on the basis of a report by the Joint Committee dated July 20, 2024. The UPPCB filed the report in compliance with the NGT order dated April 22, 2024. The matter related to illegally operating brick kilns in Saharanpur district.
The UPPCB report stated that 29 brick kilns were operating without a valid Consent To Operate (CTO) and they were defaulters. The NGT, in its order dated April 22, 2024, had considered the issue of environmental compensation against these defaulting kilns and had directed the UPPCB to ensure requisite action for imposition of environmental compensation against them.
The UPPCB filed the report dated July 20, 2024. But it did not disclose the action taken for imposition of environmental compensation against the kilns. Hence, the NGT on September 20, 2025, granted time to UPPCB to examine the issue and file a fresh report.
The UPPCB’s report said 16 of 29 defaulter brick kilns were found dismantled during the course of an inspection. Of the remaining 13, 10 kilns were found closed in compliance with the closure order issued. The remaining three kilns have obtained CTO and are operational.
The report further disclosed that the environmental compensation was Rs 2,386,500 till the filing of the affidavit was imposed by the UPPCB. Of this, a sum of Rs 1,293,764.20 was recovered.
The NGT on September 26, 2025, directed the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to file a report on the health risk of flame-retardant exposure to drivers. It also directed the ICMR to expedite the work and ensure that it is completed as expeditiously as possible.
ICMR on July 22, 2025, had filed a report disclosing the timeline of 18 months for carrying out the study involving collection and analysis of biological samples to evaluate the health risk of flame-retardant exposure to the drivers. Sivaperumal, appearing on behalf of ICMR, informed the court that approval has been received from concerned authorities.
The application was registered suo motu on the basis of a news item titled People Are Breathing In Cancer-Causing Chemicals in their cars study finds which appeared on NDTV.com on May 8, 2024. The matter is related to a research study published in Environmental Science & Technology that asserts the presence of cancer-causing chemicals in the car.