The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has flagged continued violations of solid waste management rules at Jalandhar’s Wariana dumpsite, stating in its affidavit before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the Municipal Corporation Jalandhar (MCJ) has made no visible progress towards compliance.
The matter relates to Original Application No. 97 of 2026, Tejasvi Minhas v. State of Punjab & Others. According to the media brief issued by applicant and environmental activist Tejasvi Minhas on October 28, the PPCB’s findings highlight several concerns over waste management and environmental safeguards at the site.
The PPCB’s findings, as detailed in the brief, include the absence of a boundary wall or fencing, waste spilling onto the approach road, missing methane detectors and groundwater-monitoring piezometers, and inadequate leachate management.
The Board also recorded multiple spot fires along the dumpsite road, including significant fires at two locations. Leachate was reportedly found stagnating at the site and partly being discharged into the sewer. Waste segregation before transportation or at the dumpsite was also identified as a concern.
Separately, the PPCB reportedly noted an accumulation of waste near the intersection of Kala Sanghian Drain and Kapurthala Road that had not been shifted at the time of its report.
The Board had directed MCJ to provide essential infrastructure, including methane detectors, piezometers, firefighting arrangements and temporary leachate collection facilities. The status of implementation remains a key concern raised in the brief.
The case was listed before the NGT on October 28 but could not be taken up because the Bench could not convene. The next hearing is scheduled for February 2027.
Minhas has alleged that despite repeated notices, directions and environmental compensation, MCJ has failed to demonstrate meaningful compliance. He has called for a time-bound remediation plan, independently verifiable progress reports and accountability for officials responsible for the alleged lapses.
He has also demanded disciplinary action, including suspension wherever legally justified, and departmental inquiries into the continued non-compliance.
The demands include fire prevention, methane monitoring, leachate treatment, groundwater and environmental monitoring, waste segregation and removal of legacy waste.
The allegations and compliance status should be assessed against the PPCB’s affidavit and relevant official records. The central issue remains whether the required corrective measures are implemented and verified on the ground.
