The Green Court-appointed Commissioner's investigation report on solid waste management in Delhi-NCR reveals that the Ghazipur landfill site is causing contamination to the milk consumed in Delhi-NCR, polluting the Yamuna River, and emitting methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
The report points out that the landfill's height has exceeded the permitted level of 40 meters, reaching 60 meters. Additionally, there is evidence of contamination affecting the local dairy industry that is situated next to the landfill site.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) initiated a suo motu case after a fire broke out at the Ghazipur landfill site last April, focusing on the issues of solid waste management in the area.
The Court appointed Advocate Court Commissioner, Katyayni, visited the site on March 7 this year and submitted her report on March 29, 2025. The report was disclosed during a hearing on July 10, revealing numerous management lapses.
The report noted that the solid waste is spilling over into the nearby canal due to the absence of a boundary wall. There is also no boundary wall on the road side near the slaughterhouse.
Moreover, the report identified a high probability of milk and dairy product contamination being supplied to Delhi-NCR. This risk stems from the ongoing accumulation of animal and slaughter waste in low-lying areas adjacent to the landfill.
The report emphasizes that on one side of the landfill is a fish market, while on the other side are a slaughterhouse, a poultry mandi, and a livestock market, with a dairy located right next to the landfill. These facilities supply products to the entire Delhi-NCR region.
In addition, the report highlights the lack of proper leachate management facilities, with leachate and livestock drain discharge flowing into Drain No. 1 and eventually into the Yamuna River. Construction and demolition waste are also being dumped at various locations.
The report observed a significant discrepancy between the amount of waste received and the processing efficiency at Ghazipur. It indicates that between 2,400 and 2,600 metric tons of waste are received daily, but the Waste-to-Energy plant is only processing approximately 700 to 1,000 metric tons of that waste each day.
Although the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) claimed that 5 acres of land had been reclaimed, the report contradicted this, stating that no land has actually been reclaimed.
The court has directed the MCD to file a fresh report in the form of an affidavit within six weeks, with the next hearing scheduled for October 16