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.

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