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Andhra Pradesh faces a sewage treatment gap of over 219 MLD across 17 urban local bodies, with untreated waste flowing into rivers
NGT flags delays in real-time pollution monitoring systems and incomplete STP infrastructure
In Uttar Pradesh, a stone crusher in Lalitpur raises concerns over dust, proximity to homes and lack of green buffers
Chennai’s waste management comes under scrutiny, with delays in regulatory approvals and long-standing dumping practices
Reports highlight ongoing compliance gaps in urban environmental governance across multiple states
The current sewage treatment plant (STP) capacity in Andhra Pradesh is inadequate to handle the volume of sewage generated, according to a report submitted by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB).
A total treatment gap of 219.43 million litres per day (MLD) has been identified between sewage generation and installed STP capacity across 17 urban local bodies (ULB). The Engineer-in-Chief, Public Health and Municipal Engineering (ENC-PH&ME) Department, provided these details to the APPCB.
The findings indicate a clear shortfall in treatment capacity and highlight the need to augment and expand STPs for effective sewage management.
Of the total sewage generated, approximately 822.58 MLD originates from 17 densely populated ULBs located in and around river stretches and water bodies. Work is ongoing to provide STPs in newly formed smaller municipalities and nagar panchayats. The utilisation gap is partly attributed to ongoing underground drainage works in certain ULBs.
To address the 219.43 MLD gap, officials said that 175.92 MLD in 11 ULBs will be covered through STPs currently under construction (284.47 MLD) or at the tender stage (46.68 MLD). The remaining 43.51 MLD gap in six ULBs is proposed to be met through new STPs under the Urban Infrastructure Development Fund scheme.
On real-time pollution monitoring systems (RTPMS), the Engineer-in-Chief reported that eight ULBs have established connectivity. The APPCB noted that the National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an earlier order, had recorded RTPMS installation in six out of 15 ULBs. This has since increased, with Eluru installing the system, taking the number to seven out of 15. Tenali has also recently installed RTPMS, while procurement is under way in Bhimavaram.
The APPCB said it had pursued the matter through a letter dated 1 March 2026. In response, the ENC-PH&ME Department, in a letter dated March 18, 2026, directed municipal commissioners to install RTPMS in existing STPs without delay.
The report, dated March 24, 2026, was submitted in compliance with NGT orders issued on January 20, 2026 and July 31, 2025.
The NGT’s Chennai bench had taken suo motu cognisance of a news report published in Eenadu on January 25, 2024, which alleged that liquid waste was being discharged into rivers including the Krishna, Godavari, Swarnamukhi, Nagavali, Tungabhadra and Kundu. It also reported that incomplete STPs had led to untreated or partially treated waste being discharged into rivers and, in Visakhapatnam, into the sea.
A joint committee report dated March 30, 2026 has examined environmental and public health concerns linked to the operation of the Tridev stone crusher in village Chhilla, tehsil Mahrauni, district Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Applicants had alleged that the crusher is located close to residential houses and a school, and that blasting activities had caused ground vibrations, resulting in cracks in nearby structures. They also raised concerns over dust emissions affecting air quality and public health.
The inspection report noted that the quarry, crusher and storage facilities operate over an area of 4.47 hectares.
During inspection, pollution sources such as the primary jaw crusher, vibrating screen and conveyor belts were found to be properly covered. A water sprinkling system was in place and operational to control dust emissions.
A metallic or concrete road has been constructed within the premises to reduce dust from vehicle movement. A partial boundary wall has also been built as a wind-breaking measure.
Water sprinkling through tankers is being carried out to control dust during vehicular movement and loading and unloading of materials. However, the report noted that adequate plantation and green belt development along the boundaries has not been carried out.
The main habitation of village Chhilla is about 800 metres from the crusher site, with around 180 households. Approximately 15 families live within a 500-metre radius. Inspection of nearby houses found some presence of dust. Satellite imagery indicated that the crusher is located around 250 metres from the Lalitpur-Tikamgarh state highway.
The village council and the operator had previously undertaken plantation activities, and no damage to these was attributed to crusher operations.
The project proponent has obtained the necessary permissions for drilling and blasting, as well as for heavy earth-moving machinery, from the Directorate of Mines Safety. However, fencing around the entire lease area has not been completed, and adequate windbreaks or plantation layers have not been developed.
On the day of inspection, a water tanker was in use for dust suppression. A weighbridge has also been installed to measure excavated material. No active deep-hole drilling or blasting was observed, although large pits were present at the site.
In a report submitted to the NGT on March 27, 2026, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) outlined steps taken to manage solid waste in Chennai.
The report stated that zones 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 of the Greater Chennai Corporation fall under the jurisdiction of the District Environmental Engineer (DEE), TNPCB, Chennai. On 8 July 2025, the DEE wrote to the Executive Engineer (Solid Waste Management), requesting renewal of authorisation under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The municipal solid waste (MSW) authorisation for areas including Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Anna Nagar and Kodambakkam expired on 31 March 2020. The TNPCB said it has not yet received any renewal application.
Other zones, including parts of zones 5, 9, 10, and zones 12 to 15, fall under TNPCB Chennai South. For more than 35 years, the Greater Chennai Corporation has collected and dumped municipal waste from southern parts of the city at the Perungudi site, covering about 200 acres.
To address this, the corporation has proposed an integrated waste processing facility with a capacity of around 3,000 tonnes per day at Pallikaranai village in Sholinganallur taluk. The facility includes composting, recycling, refuse-derived fuel production and a sanitary landfill.
The corporation is also undertaking bio-mining of legacy waste at the Perungudi dumpsite to restore it.
In line with Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016, processing plants have been set up at Perungudi and Kodungaiyur, each with a capacity of 400 tonnes per day. Waste is processed into by-products such as coarse and fine aggregates, reducing the need for virgin materials.
For garden and green waste, processing centres have been established at Kodungaiyur, Perungudi, Sowcarpet and Chetpet, each with a capacity of 80 tonnes per day. Around 180 tonnes of garden waste is processed daily into products such as briquettes, coconut fibre, pith blocks and coir bales.
The NGT had taken suo motu cognisance based on a report published in The Times of India on July 19, 2025. The article, Dirty loos, garbage mountains pull down rank; GCC blames people for poor feedback, highlighted waste management challenges in Chennai affecting its ranking under the Swachh Bharat survey. The article referred to issues including garbage accumulation, waste handling practices at dump yards and the maintenance of public toilets.