National Green Tribunal
News Item Titled 500 Tonnes Of Waste To ... vs The Chief Secretary To Govt Of Tamil Nadu on 22 January, 2026
Item No.08:-
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
SOUTHERN ZONE, CHENNAI
[Through Physical Hearing (Hybrid Option)]
Original Application No. 43 of 2025 (SZ)
IN THE MATTER OF:
Tribunal on its own motion - SUO MOTU
based on the News item in 'The Times of
India', Chennai edition dated 03.03.2025,
"500 tonnes of waste to end up in
landfills".
And
The Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu,
Chennai and Ors.
...Respondent(s)
Date of hearing: 22.01.2026.
CORAM:
HON'BLE Smt. JUSTICE PUSHPA SATHYANARAYANA, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE DR. PRASHANT GARGAVA, EXPERT MEMBER
For Applicant(s): Suo Motu.
For Respondent(s): Dr. D. Shanmuganathan for R1 to R3.
Mr. S. Sai Sathya Jith for R4.
Dr. S.B. Nirmalatha represented
Mr. Ramesh Kanna for R5.
Page 1 of 4
ORDER
1. In our earlier orderdated 27.06.2025, we had directed the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to file a detailed report. Accordingly, the report dated 21.08.2025 of the GCC has furnished a list of Micro Composting Centres (MCCs) and Material Recovery Facility (MRF)/RRCs that are operational, well-maintained and do not pose any public concerns. Out of the existing 190 MCCs, 22 MCCs have been evaluated and out of existing 137 MRF/RCCs, 49 have been evaluated and the remaining MCCs & MRF/RCCs are identified for closure.
2. The GCC also has furnished zone-wise MCCs in operation and their capacity. Presently, there are only 02 Bio- CNG plants are in operation in Zone-8 manage upto 150 TPD of Wet waste and another one is located at Madhavaram with a capacity of160 TPD of Wet waste.
3. It appears that there are 05 numbers of Bio-CNG plants under construction and the particulars of the same are also provided. The action plan of the GCC is to implement the Integrated Waste Management Plant, which would include Bio- CNG Plant, Compost Plant, Automated MRF and Waste to Energy plant at Kodungaiyur and Perungudi, which would address the north and south of Chennai. The other particulars regarding the Micro Compost Centre at Perungudi, it is only said to be under construction.
Page 2 of 44. While the jurisdiction of the GCC is expanded, it would be appropriate for the Corporation to address the issue comprehensively starting from the quantity of the waste generated per day and the required number of waste management plants of different kind in place. It should also indicate the timeline within which these waste management plants will be set up and functioned.
5. In the meanwhile, what is the proposal for handling the everyday generated waste, which should be in massive,though not indicated in the report, has to be mentioned in the next report to be filed.
6. Though the Original Application is filed to determine alternatives to closing 200 micro waste processing units, we direct the GCC to address the issue comprehensively with regard to the generation of waste in TPD, the various types of management plants (viz., Bio-CNG plants, Compost plants, etc.), the distribution of waste to these plants, and the methods by which the waste will be segregated.
7. While we understand that solid waste management in a metropolitan city like Chennai is challenging, unless it is addressed comprehensively in all respects within a time-bound framework, managing legacy waste will become difficult and place a burden on the exchequer.
Page 3 of 48. Therefore, we direct the GCC to address the issue comprehensively, providing details of the actions taken and to be taken along with a timeline, and also to report how the waste is being managed as of the present date.
9. Post the matter on 16.02.2026.
Sd/-
Smt. Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana, JM Sd/-
Dr. Prashant Gargava, EM O.A. No.43/2025(SZ) 22nd January, 2026. AD.
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