Home / Environment / NGT Directs Odisha to Clean Up Bargarh's Toxic Waste Dump
NGT Directs Odisha to Clean Up Bargarh's Toxic Waste Dump
3 Aug
Summary
- NGT orders Odisha to file action report on legacy waste removal
- Residents of Bargarh file petition over non-compliance of earlier orders
- Odisha government instructed to deposit ₹1.84 crore for remediation
In a recent development, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken action to address the long-standing issue of legacy waste dumping in Bargarh, a town in western Odisha. The NGT's east zone bench in Kolkata has directed the state's housing and urban development department to file an action taken report (ATR) regarding the compliance of its earlier orders issued on March 23, 2023.
The orders were issued in response to a petition filed by Ramakanta Rout and six other residents of Purushotam Nagar in Bargarh Municipality's ward 15. The petition sought criminal proceedings against the authorities for their failure to comply with the NGT's previous directives. The residents argued that the delay in remediating the legacy waste dumpsites had resulted in significant environmental damage and posed serious health hazards for the local population.
During the hearing, the tribunal examined an inspection report filed by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board and reviewed the Bargarh Municipality's response. According to the response, a detailed project report (DPR) was prepared but returned by the government with instructions to provide a detailed cost estimate for a wastewater treatment plant. The DPR has since been resubmitted to the engineer-in-chief of the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) in Bhubaneswar.
Acknowledging the progress made, the NGT bench, comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Dr Arun Kumar Verma (expert member), has directed the housing and urban development department to file an affidavit within four weeks, detailing the actions taken. The tribunal also noted that the state government has already released ₹1.90 crore to the Bargarh Municipality for the remediation efforts.
Furthermore, the bench has directed the municipality authorities to file a separate affidavit outlining how the funds are being utilized in line with the NGT's directives. The matter has been listed for the next hearing on September 10, 2025.
