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The eastern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on March 24, 2025, directed notice to be issued to Odisha’s Department of Environment & Forest, among others, to file their reply on the management of waste at the Baliapanda dumping yard in the state’s Puri district.
Others who have been asked to file their response include the district magistrate of Puri; Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) and Puri Municipality. All respondents have been directed to file their counter affidavits.
The matter related to the dumping yard at Baliapanda, which is situated 50-100 metres away from Puri beach and a few kilometres away from the Puri Jagannath temple. A bio-mining process has been initiated in Baliapanda to manage waste efficiently, with recycling and composting. But despite these efforts, garbage fires continue releasing harmful smoke and endangering the health of local residents.
It was stated in the application that a specific five-acre (two hectares) area in Baliapanda was initially designated for waste dumping. Overtime, this has expanded to about 10 acres. But after residential areas developed nearby, the authorities decided to cease dumping there and used modern methods to process the waste.
It was also mentioned that nearly 2,000 families live in areas adjacent to the waste hill and despite this, the municipality continues to dump waste and garbage from the city and crematoriums there. It was stated that during the rainy season, the rainwater mixes with the waste, leading to a foul odour and the breeding of insects.
The NGT on March 24, 2025, directed a three-member committee to look into the matter of waterbody encroachment in Bihar’s Samastipur district. The committee has been asked to submit a fact-finding report.
The court also directed notice to be issued to the Department of Environment & Forest, Bihar; district magistrate, Samastipur; Bihar State Pollution Control Board and Nagar Nigam, Samastipur.
An application was filed before the NGT based on a newspaper article published in the Dainik Bhaskar on December 10, 2024. The article talked about illegal construction and encroachment of a waterbody (pokhara) which is being used as a waste disposal site, creating environmental hazards. The applicant said the site should be developed under the Jal Jeevan Hariyali scheme.
The NGT on March 24, 2025, directed the Urban Affairs Department and Shillong Municipal Board to file their reply on the matter of management of waste in Shillong.
The reply affidavit dated March 21, 2025, has been filed by the deputy commissioner, East Khasi Hills district, Shillong. The affidavit stated that two revenue meetings at district level were held on November 6, 2024 and March 18, 2025 was held to review the progress of solid waste management in Shillong city.
The Urban Affairs Department has been requested to expeditiously identify and operationalise the new landfill site as the site at Marten is nearing its capacity. A request has also been made to the Shillong Municipal Board to ensure more efficient waste segregation at source level itself.
The next hearing of the case is on May 27, 2025.