National Green Tribunal
Sri. Shankar Narayanan Bala Krishnan vs State Of Telangana on 10 November, 2025
Item No.11:
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
SOUTHERN ZONE, CHENNAI
[Through Physical Hearing (Hybrid Option)]
Original Application No.199 of 2021 (SZ) &
I.A. No.96 of 2022 (SZ)
IN THE MATTER OF:
Sri. Sankar Narayanan Bala Krishnan
Telangana and Ors.
...Applicant(s)
Versus
State of Telangana,
Rep. by its Chief Secretary,
Hyderabad and Ors.
...Respondent(s)
Date of hearing: 10.11.2025.
CORAM:
HON'BLE Smt. JUSTICE PUSHPA SATHYANARAYANA, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE Dr. PRASHANT GARGAVA, EXPERT MEMBER
For Applicant(s): Mr. G. Vignesh.
For Respondent(s): Mrs. H. Yasmeen Ali for R1, R5, R7 & R8.
Mr. Meyappan represented
Mrs. Me. Sarashwathy for R2.
Mr. R. Thirunavukarasu for R3.
Mr. B. Rajaprabhakar represented
Mr. T. Sai Krishnan for R4.
Mr. E. Omprakash, Sr. Adv. a/w.
Mr. D. Sreenivasan for R6.
M/s. Matrugupta Mishra, Sonakshi &
Khasmali Sahik for R9 & R10.
Page 1 of 6
ORDER
1. On the previous occasion (i.e. on 28.10.2025), this Tribunal considered the action taken report dated 27.10.2025 filed by the CPCB. A copy of the minutes of the meeting held on 14.10.2025 was annexed to the said report. Based on the deliberations recorded therein, the Tribunal also took note of the action points decided in the said meeting, which are usefully extracted below:
"1. IIT Mumbai shall provide a solution to the problems faced in the Jawahar Nagar dumpsite. Brief report on the same shall be submitted before October 28, 2025 by IIT Mumbai.
2. The solution, as provided by IIT Mumbai, may be implemented by GHMC. The entire cost shall be borne by GHMC.
3. CPCB RD Chennai and Telangana SPCB to share past data related to the Jawahar Nagar dumpsite with IIT Mumbai."
2. The Tribunal also recorded the submission made by the learned counsel for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) that the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay had already inspected the site and that its report was awaited.
3. Since the report from IIT Bombay was not filed as directed, the Tribunal had directed GHMC not to bring any fresh waste, including Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), to the site. However, GHMC was permitted to process the waste already present at the site in any existing processing facility.
4. As no further dumping at the site was permitted, the learned counsel for Respondents No. 9 and 10 mentioned the matter on 07.11.2025; however, since the case was scheduled to be listed on 10.11.2025, no order was passed at that time.
Page 2 of 65. Today, a report dated 09.11.2025 by the Commissioner, GHMC, is produced before us; however, it has not been e-filed due to technical difficulties.
6. The said report states that IIT Bombay has proposed short-term and medium-term studies to evaluate leachate extraction efficiency and treatment, assess subsurface conditions, stabilize fresh waste, manage surface runoff, and monitor groundwater and piezometric data from borewells. A long-term study has also been suggested for landfill rehabilitation, a comprehensive hydrological assessment with long-term monitoring, development of practical biomining guidelines, and evaluation of the condition of MSW in the capped landfill after two to three years or later by employing advanced geophysical investigations for identifying the state of the MSW.
7. GHMC has stated that it will implement these recommendations in a time-bound manner, engaging IIT Bombay for further studies and guidance.
8. This report was expected to be filed by GHMC, and it encloses the report of IIT Bombay dated 27.10.2025 addressed to the Commissioner, GHMC.
9. According to the report, IIT Bombay visited the site on 23.10.2025 and held meetings with stakeholders, including GHMC and TGPCB. The discussions covered air quality management, leachate management, and stormwater/surface water management. IIT Bombay observed that if biomining is undertaken, it would need to be planned at a scale of 19,000- 20,000 MT per day to manage both daily MSW and legacy waste, which poses significant operational challenges. Further, IIT Bombay recommended maintaining the status quo of the capped Page 3 of 6 dump site while strengthening air, leachate, and stormwater management systems, along with periodic monitoring. The recommendations include immediate-term (within 6 months), near-term (6-18 months), and long-term (60-120 months) measures, along with proposed solutions for each.
10. It is now stated that TGPCB issued an amended Consent for Operation (CFO) order on 31.07.2025, enhancing the processing capacity as compared to the earlier CFO order dated 29.09.2023. The amended CFO mentions an incoming waste stream of 15,000 TPD and specifies the machinery available for processing the same.
11. Out of the total 339 Acres of the site, about 125 Acres comprise the capped area, and 214 Acres constitute reclaimed land, where M/s. Ramky Environ Engineers Limited is undertaking municipal solid waste management operations.
12. Mr. Matrugupta Mishra, learned counsel for Respondents No.9 and 10, submitted that the said agency is engaged in segregation of compostable and wet waste, leachate treatment, and post-closure maintenance for 15 years. The agency handles rejection of non-acceptable waste, operates segregation and MRF plants for processing combustibles/RDF, which is sent to cement and Waste-to-Energy plants and supplies electricity to the grid.
13. Mr. G. Vignesh, learned counsel for the applicant, pointed out that in the process of MSW treatment and disposal, the issue of fly ash management has not been adequately addressed. He submitted that this concern must be taken care of by M/s. Ramky Environ Engineers Limited and GHMC.
Page 4 of 614. The TGPCB, through its CFO dated 31.07.2025, has enhanced the facility's capacity considering a projected 5% annual growth in waste generation, granting consent for 10,000 TPD, subject to strict compliance with environmental safeguards and monitoring requirements. This aims to balance operational needs with environmental protection and sustainable waste management principles.
15. Mr. Matrugupta Mishra, learned counsel for Respondents No.9 and 10, further submitted that the processing activities are confined solely to the reclaimed 214-acre area and have no connection with the 125-acre capped site.
16. We make it clear that the agency shall not leave any processing residue at the site, particularly on the capped area.
17. In light of the above facts, brought to our notice only today, we modify paragraph (4) of the order dated 28.10.2025, permitting GHMC to bring fresh waste to the site solely for processing in the reclaimed area where the agency is operating.
18. It is the joint responsibility of both GHMC and the agency to ensure that, until the action plan proposed by IIT Bombay is implemented, no new or additional waste shall be dumped in the capped area. GHMC is directed to comply with the directions issued earlier regarding leachate collection and related monsoon measures, as well as the recommendations made by IIT Bombay. GHMC may utilize the reclaimed area of the Jawaharnagar dump site for waste management operations through the designated agency.
Page 5 of 619. Though the order was passed earlier on 28.10.2025, for more than a week, the order was not obeyed by the GHMC and the agency. It was claimed that only after the order was uploaded on 06.11.2025, they got the knowledge of the same. However, once the order is passed in the Open Court in the presence of learned counsels and parties, it takes effect forthwith.
20. Accordingly, the explanation that the order dated 28.10.2025 was followed only from 06.11.2025 is unacceptable. The act of the GHMC and the agency is utter disobedience of the order of this Tribunal without checking out the same.
21. In such circumstances, for the above disobedience, the GHMC and the 9th Respondent agency are jointly and severally directed to pay a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) in favour of the National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone) Regular Practitioners' Association within four weeks.
22. Let the matter be listed on 16.01.2026.
Sd/-
Smt. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, JM Sd/-
Dr. Prashant Gargava, EM O.A. No.199/2021 (SZ) & I.A. No.96/2022 (SZ) 10th November, 2025. Mn.
Page 6 of 6