Pranav B Prem

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zone Bench at Kolkata, has directed the Housing and Urban Development Department of Odisha to file an affidavit within four weeks, detailing the action taken in compliance with its earlier orders for the removal and remediation of legacy waste dumped in Bargarh town, Odisha. The bench issued the directive during the hearing held on July 28, 2025, in Miscellaneous Application No. 01/2025/EZ in Original Application No. 116/2022/EZ.

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The petition was filed by Ramakanta Rout and six other residents of Ward No. 15 in Purushotam Nagar, Bargarh Municipality, highlighting the environmental degradation and health hazards caused by untreated waste that had been lying in the area for over a decade. The petitioners were represented by Advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy.

The NGT had earlier, through its order dated March 23, 2023, directed the complete remediation of the legacy waste by December 31, 2023, through scientific methods such as bio-mining, micro-composting, and material recovery. The Tribunal had also instructed the State Government to deposit ₹1.84 crore in an escrow account for executing the cleanup.

However, during the July 28 hearing, the Tribunal observed that although ₹1,90,99,000 had already been released by the State Government to the Bargarh Municipality, there was inadequate information about the steps taken for actual remediation. The Bench took note of affidavits filed by various stakeholders, including:

• Odisha State Pollution Control Board (dated 25.07.2025)

• District Collector, Bargarh (dated 26.07.2025)

• Executive Officer, Bargarh Municipality (dated 27.07.2025)

The Tribunal reviewed the Odisha State Pollution Control Board’s inspection report and the Bargarh Municipality’s reply to the show-cause notice issued earlier. According to the response, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been submitted earlier but was returned with instructions to include a detailed cost estimate for a proposed wastewater treatment plant. The revised DPR was subsequently resubmitted to the Engineer-in-Chief of the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) for further transmission to the Housing and Urban Development Department.

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Taking this on record, the Bench of Justice B. Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Dr. Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member) directed the Housing and Urban Development Department to clarify, through a sworn affidavit, what steps have been taken based on the resubmitted DPR. The Tribunal also ordered the Bargarh Municipality to file a separate affidavit detailing how the released funds are being utilized in compliance with its earlier directions. It also directed the municipality to submit color photographs along with the inspection reports attached to the affidavit. Additionally, the Tribunal imposed a nominal cost of ₹1,000 on the Bargarh Municipality for submitting its counter-affidavit via email and required them to e-file the affidavit formally within one week. The matter is now scheduled for the next hearing on September 10, 2025.

Appearance

For Applicant(s): Mr. Sankar Prasad Pani, Advocate a/w Mr. Ashutosh Padhy, Advocate (in Virtual Mode)

For Respondent(s): Mr. Varun Mishra, Advocate for R-1, 2 & 7 (in Virtual Mode), Mr. Jugal Kishore Panda, Advocate for R-3 (in Virtual Mode), Mr. Dipanjan Ghosh, Advocate for R-4

Cause Title: Ramakanta Rout & Ors. V. State of Odisha & Ors.

Case No: Miscellaneous Application No.01/2025/EZ  In  Original Application No.116/2022/EZ

Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Justice B. Amit Sthalekar [Judicial Member], Hon’ble Dr. Arun Kumar Verma [Expert Member]