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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 3, 2026, took up the matter of toxic gas killing 25 workers inside an under-construction tunnel of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in Sikkim’s Namchi district, Sikkim.
The court registered a suo motu application based on the news item titled Toxic Gas Kills 20 in Sikkim Tunnel Efforts On to Save 5 Workers appearing in The Hindu dated July 22, 2026. The matter relates to the suspected sudden release of methane gas that killed 25 workers inside an under-construction tunnel of the NHPC’s Teesta State-VI Hydroelectric Project.
The incident occurred inside the head race tunnel under construction at Samardung on the afternoon of July 20, 2026, “due to sudden explosive release of suspected methane gas trapped/embedded in the rocks, resulting in the generation of dense smoke and toxic gases”. This was the statement given by NHPC.
The NGT sought a response on the matter from the District Collector, Namchi; Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); Sikkim State Pollution Control Board; and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Regional Office.
The principal bench of the NGT directed that the matter be transferred to the eastern zonal bench and it will next be taken up on September 3, 2026.
On August 3, 2026, the NGT directed authorities to ensure no illegal mining takes place in Roopnagar district of Punjab.
Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) filed a report on April 14, 2026, disclosing the status of stone crushers in Roopnagar. The PPCB report revealed that only 10 out of 171 stone crushers in Roopnagar district were compliant. Counsel for the PPCB stated that action was initiated against four stone crushers, and environmental compensation has been imposed.
The PPCB chart reveals that 71 stone crushers were non-compliant and 55 were partially compliant. They are required to be inspected. The PPCB is required to take appropriate action for the violation, noted the tribunal.
The chart also indicated that only 153 of 171 stone crushers were visited. Therefore, 18 still remain to be verified and inspected by the PPCB. Counsel for the PPCB sought time to file a comprehensive report on the matter.
Counsel for the Applicant also submitted that they filed details of illegal mining currently in progress in Roopnagar district.
The NGT on August 7, 2026, directed the constitution of a joint committee to investigate pollution caused by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) plant in Tandwa village of Jharkhand’s Chatra district, due to the discharge of untreated effluent into the Garhi and Damodar rivers.
The court directed the committee to verify the factual position, suggest appropriate remedial measures and send copies of the report to the concerned authorities for taking appropriate action.
It also directed the State of Jharkhand through its Secretary of the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board; the District Magistrate of Chatra; and the NTPC, Tandwa, Chatra district, to submit a response.
The applicant stated that the NTPC management is discharging burnt coal ash (fly ash) into the Garhi, due to which the river has become completely polluted and its water is no longer fit for use. Thousands of villagers and animals depend upon the water of this river. Flowing further downstream, the Garhi merges into the Damodar.
As evidence, the applicant enclosed photographs of the fly ash flowing into the Garhi, along with copies of published newspaper reports regarding the issue.
