NGT Slams DPCC: Where is the Equipment for Ghazipur Landfill Testing?
The National Green Tribunal has ordered the DPCC to explain why it lacks equipment for groundwater testing at the Ghazipur landfill site.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed serious concern over the Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) inability to conduct essential groundwater analysis around the Ghazipur landfill site. In a sharp move, the tribunal has ordered the Member Secretary of the DPCC to appear virtually at the next hearing to explain the status of its laboratory facilities and the equipment available for testing.
The Shocking Admission
The direction came during a hearing regarding a major fire at the Ghazipur landfill, a case initiated following a media report from April 2024. The bench, led by NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. Afroz Ahmad, was taken aback when the counsel for the DPCC admitted that the committee did not possess the necessary equipment to perform the required groundwater analysis.
The tribunal observed that a body like the DPCC is naturally expected to have a fully equipped laboratory to handle such critical environmental monitoring. The lack of equipment was revealed when the DPCC's counsel informed the court that a tender had been floated on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal to acquire the necessary tools, and testing would only begin once the equipment was obtained.
Strict Mandates for Groundwater Sampling
The tribunal had previously issued a set of strict mandates for the monitoring of the Ghazipur site. The DPCC was directed to collect groundwater samples from at least 20 different locations. These samples were to be taken from a radius prescribed under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, and subsequently extended to a 1.5-kilometre radius from the landfill.
Furthermore, the tribunal had ordered that the analysis of these samples be conducted in accordance with Clause (E) of Schedule II of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, to ensure a scientific and accurate assessment of the pollution levels.
Procedural Delays and Future Hearings
The tribunal also noted with disappointment that the DPCC had not been represented at a previous hearing. Consequently, the court ordered that a copy of its earlier order be forwarded directly to the Member Secretary for compliance.
On the other side, Narender Pal Singh, the counsel for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), requested more time to prepare the matter. He informed the tribunal that he had been engaged by the civic body only a day prior to the hearing, necessitating a further window to gather relevant documents.
The matter has now been scheduled for a further hearing on January 19, 2027.