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Grasim waste: SC directs CPCB to detail hazardous waste disposal steps, agency, payments within three weeks.
Puri encroachment: NGT seeks OSPCB response on school's illegal forest, waterbody constructions in a month.
Pathankot trees: NGT issues notices over illegal felling of 200 trees in Kot village, no action taken.
The Supreme Court (SC) directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) February 17, 2026 to prepare a memorandum containing all steps required for disposal of the identified hazardous waste of Grasim Industries in Renukoot in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.
Those steps must include shortlisting of an accredited agency competent to carry out the work. The memorandum should also include modalities like payment and estimated time-schedule, within which each of the required steps would be carried out. Payment schedule disclosing estimated amounts required to be paid by the company for the proposed steps, including the stages at which such payment is required to be made, should also be detailed in the memorandum, the order said.
In case cooperation / clearances is / are required from any government department, be it Union or state, it should be specified so that the whole process is completed without delay. The memorandum so prepared would be in consultation with UPPCB. The affidavit including memorandum should be filed within three weeks, the order said.
Pursuant to the apex court order, December 9, 2025, a compliance affidavit has been filed on behalf of CPCB. The compliance affidavit offers multiple options for onsite / off-site disposal of waste.
Counsel for Grasim Industries Limited submits that the company is willing to opt for the option which envisages disposal of hazardous waste of about 110,000 MT at an estimated cost of Rs 128 crore.
CPCB’s affidavit indicates that to carry out the work related to disposal of the waste an accredited agency would have to be short-listed in consultation with UPPCB. Counsel for UPPCB submitted that UPPCB would provide all cooperation and assistance as would be required by the CPCB and therefore, the work should be carried out under the supervision and control of the CPCB.
The matter related to hazardous waste management by Grasim Industries, Renukoot. The company had filed the application seeking permission / necessary directions to commence the remediation of the site in accordance with the recommendations outlined in the compliance affidavit, July 21, 2025 filed by the Central Pollution Control Board.
The CPCB report said that "improper storage / dumping of waste containing both mercury bearing brine sludge and HCH muck (pesticides) have been observed in the landfill cells (1, 2 and 3) and other Areas of Potential Concern (AoPC), which are resulting in contamination of groundwater."
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), eastern bench, February 16, 2026 has sought response from Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and Odisha State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (OSEIAA), among others, on the complaint of an educational institution encroaching over forest land and waterbody. The responses have to be submitted within a month.
An application filed before NGT said that Radhaballav Higher Secondary School, Bairipur has made illegal encroachment and unauthorised construction on land which is classified as gramya jungle (village forest), Bairipur, Puri district, Odisha belonging to the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management. Several permanent buildings already exist on the forest land.
More than two additional hall / buildings are under active construction, thereby aggravating the illegality and environmental damage. The educational institution has encroached upon forest land and water body and made construction without any approval from any authority violation all the environmental laws.
The Revenue Inspector had submitted report to the Tahasildar, Gop and the Tahasildar also forwarded it to the Collector, Puri for necessary action but no action has been taken by Respondent No. 4, Collector, Puri on the same. Non-forest activities over the above said land require prior approval of Central Government under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980. The applicant made various representations to the concerned authorities but no action has been taken on the same.
NGT February 19, 2026 heard the case of illegal felling of 200 trees in Kot village, Pathankot, Punjab.
The applicant, Lalit Kumar, pleaded that he is the owner of agricultural land in Kot, where more than 200 matured trees were standing. He alleged that between March 31 and April 6, 2025, people illegally cut and removed the trees.
The applicant further pleaded that the incident was immediately reported to the local police and forest authorities but no action has been taken or FIR registered, and even the spot inspection has not been done by the forest authorities.
The counsel for the applicant has referred to the photographs filed to support the plea that the large number of trees have been cut. The counsel also referred to the satellite images filed to show the extent of green cover which has been lost. Complaint has been made to the concerned authority but no action has been taken.
The tribunal directed notices be issued to the Forest Protection Division; Chief Conservator of Forests; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; Divisional Forest Officer, among others.