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The National Green Tribunal directed the Central Pollution Control Board to respond to allegations of large-scale illegal fly ash dumping by Vedanta Limited in Jharsuguda, Odisha.
The District Magistrate, Unnao, told the tribunal that debris from a collapsed British-era railway bridge had been removed from the Ganga and the river’s environmental flow restored.
The NGT issued notices over allegations that 30 diesel and gas generator sets had been installed in public parks and green belts in DLF Phase-I, Gurgaon.
The tribunal directed the Jhansi Development Authority to verify whether land where construction is taking place is designated as a park in the city’s master plan.
Taking a serious view of complaints alleging rampant and large-scale illegal dumping and unlawful disposal of fly ash by Vedanta Limited in and around Belpahar, Kurmipada and adjoining areas of Jharsuguda district, Odisha, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on July 31, 2026, directed the Central Pollution Control Board to file its response.
Others directed by the tribunal’s eastern bench to submit replies included the Odisha State Pollution Control Board and Vedanta Limited. The next hearing has been scheduled for October 8, 2026.
The applicant submitted that Vedanta generates large quantities of fly ash from its industrial operations and illegally disposes of it through unauthorised dumping with the assistance of transporters.
The alleged illegal dumping has caused severe environmental hazards, including soil contamination, risk of groundwater pollution, deterioration of ambient air quality due to fly ash particle dispersion and irreversible ecological damage to surrounding areas, the application said.
During a field inspection on March 16, 2026, the inspector-in-charge, Belpahar, found massive quantities of fly ash illegally dumped near Kurmipada, among other locations. Geo-tagged photographic evidence showed extensive fly ash mounds spread over open areas and adjoining lands.
Complaints and representations were subsequently submitted to the State Pollution Control Board, Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, district administration and other authorities, notifying them of the alleged environmental violations committed by the industry.
Despite the seriousness of the violations and official findings confirming illegal dumping, adequate remedial, preventive and punitive action has not yet been taken, the applicant said.
The debris and remnants of a collapsed British-era railway bridge across the Ganga in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, have been removed and the river’s environmental flow restored, according to a report filed by the District Magistrate, Unnao, before the NGT on August 4, 2026.
The railway bridge had been disused and non-operational for several years. In early 2026, a partial section of the dilapidated bridge on the right bank towards Kanpur broke off and fell into the river channel.
The report stated that the disused bridge structure belongs to the Railway Department. Under the Indian Railways Bridge Manual, 1998, the statutory obligation to maintain waterways, clear obstructions and manage bridge debris lies with the railway authorities.
The Irrigation and Water Resources Department informed the Divisional Railway Manager, North Eastern Railway, Lucknow, to carry out the required clearance works.
In response, the railway authorities said a physical site inspection had been conducted at Ganga Ghat. The inspection verified that no part of the collapsed British-era railway bridge structure remained visible in the river waterway and that the physical obstruction previously present in the river channel had been completely removed.
The report further noted that seasonal agricultural activities were taking place at the site.
The Executive Engineer, Unnao Division, Sharda Canal, submitted a technical verification report to the District Magistrate, Unnao, on July 23, 2026. The report said the debris and remnants of the collapsed British-era railway bridge span that had accumulated in the Ganga had been completely extracted and removed.
It confirmed that, following the complete removal of underwater and surface debris, the natural environmental flow of the Ganga was no longer obstructed or hindered at the site. The report was supported by geo-tagged site photographs.
The NGT on August 3, 2026 , took up an application alleging that 30 industrial diesel and gas generator sets had been installed in nine public parks and green belts across various blocks of DLF Phase-I, Gurgaon, Haryana.
The applicant alleged that the generator sets were violating environmental norms and causing air pollution. Counsel for the applicant submitted that a similar matter concerning Malibu Town was already pending before the tribunal.
The tribunal directed notices to be issued to the respondents, including the Commission for Air Quality Management, Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Department of Town and Country Planning, Municipal Corporation Gurugram, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited and DLF Utilities.
The respondents have been directed to file their responses.
The Jhansi Development Authority was directed by the NGT on July 31, 2026, to verify whether a particular parcel of land is designated as a park in the Jhansi Master Plan.
The tribunal directed the Vice-Chairman of the Jhansi Development Authority to appear virtually on the next hearing date, October 12, 2026, and assist it.
An application filed before the tribunal stated that the area, designated as a park in the Jhansi Master Plan 2001, continued to have the same status in the Jhansi Master Plans of 2021 and 2031.
The application also said the area falls within the submergence zone of the Pahuj river, yet construction of a four-storey building and several residential and non-residential buildings is under way there.
