National Green Tribunal Demands Action on Amritsar's Bhagtanwala Dump

The National Green Tribunal has ordered a comprehensive, time-bound plan to address the legacy waste at Amritsar’s Bhagtanwala garbage dump. A new report is required from local authorities who have yet to respond adequately. The site holds over 10 lakh metric tonnes of accumulated waste, leading to a fine on the municipal corporation.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has mandated that a detailed time-bound plan be submitted to address the legacy waste at Amritsar's Bhagtanwala garbage dump. The order comes following a lack of response from relevant authorities regarding the management of the site.

The panel, chaired by NGT's Justice Prakash Shrivastava, was reviewing a major blaze at the 25-acre dumpsite and discovered that it has accumulated over 10 lakh metric tonnes of waste over three decades. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has already fined the Amritsar municipal corporation Rs 4.5 crore for regulatory violations.

The tribunal criticized local officials for not providing a clear strategy or timeframe to clear the site. The NGT has required a fresh report to be filed within six weeks, outlining a coherent management plan and funding resource to address both legacy and daily waste.

(With inputs from agencies.)