National Green Tribunal: Solid Waste Management Compliance

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• Know your Kanoon - Doc Gen Hub - Counter Argument - Case Predict AI - Talk with IK Doc -... Upgrade to Premium [Cites 3, Cited by 0 ] ### National Green Tribunal

Compliance Of Municipal Solid Waste ... vs . on 16 March, 2026

Item No. 32 Court No. 1

            BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
                PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

                  Original Application No. 606/2018
          (IA No 20/2025, IA No 539/2025, IA No 299/2024)
                  (In respect of State of Nagaland)

Compliance of Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 And Other
Environmental Issues.

Date of hearing: 16.03.2026

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON
HON'BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER
Amicus Curiae: Ms. Katyayni, Advocate (Amicus Curiae)

Respondents: Ms. K. Enatoli Sema, Mr. Amit Kr. Singh & Mr. Prang Newmai, Advs. with
Mr. Kekhrievor Kevichusa, Commissioner & Secretary, Urban Dev. &
Municipal Affairs (Through VC),
Mr. Zarenthung Ezung, Secretary, Public Health Engineering (Through
VC),
Mr. Y. Atsase Thongtsar, Secretary, EF & CC (Through VC),
Ms. Kezhochole Rhetso, Jt. Director & SMD, Urban Development
(Through VC),
Ms. Khate-u Kezo, Jt. Director, Municipal Affairs (Through VC),
Ms. Mongna Konyak, Director, Rural Development (Through VC) &
Mr. Sangmai C Imlong, Additional Secretary, Rural Development, State of
Nagaland (Through VC)
Mr. Saurabh Balwani, Adv. for CPC B (Through VC)

                                 ORDER 1. In this original application, Tribunal is considering the issue of solid

as well as liquid waste management as per orders of the Hon'ble Supreme

Court dated 02.09.2014 in Writ Petition No. 888/1996, [Almitra H. Patel vs.

Union of India & Ors.](https://indiankanoon.org/doc/339109/), with regard to solid waste management and order

dated 22.02.2017 in W.P. No. 375/2012, reported in ([2017) 5 SCC 326,

Paryavaran Suraksha vs. Union of India](https://indiankanoon.org/doc/190799178/), with regard to liquid waste

management (sewage).

1. Today, matter has been taken up in respect of compliance by State

of Nagaland.

1. The State of Nagaland has filed the six-monthly progress report

dated 02.03.2026. Another report dated 12.03.2025, wrongly mentioned

as filed on 13.08.2025, has been filed.

1

1. We have heard learned Amicus Curiae and learned Counsel for the

State of Nagaland and Mr. Kekhrievor Kevichusa, Commissioner &

Secretary, Urban Development & Municipal Affairs virtually and perused

those reports. On examination of the report, we find the following status:

Solid Waste:

(i) The status of the legacy waste has been disclosed in the

tabulated chart Annexure-R/4 on page 603. A perusal of the

said chart reveals that the information has not been disclosed

in respect of various ULBs. Out of total 39 ULBs, the requisite

information has been disclosed only in respect of few ULBs.

(ii) We have taken up the example of Kohima and Dimapur ULBs.
In respect of Kohima and Dimapur ULBs, no cut of date of

          quantity of legacy waste disclosed has been mentioned in the

          chart, but the Commissioner & Secretary, Urban Development

          & Municipal Affairs, appearing virtually has informed that the

          cut of date of legacy waste disclosed for these two ULBs is year

          2022. We failed to understand as to why the cut of date of 2022

          has been taken. Whereas to give the current picture, status of

          2026 ought to have been disclosed.

(iii) We also find that there is a gap in generation and treatment of

          daily waste which is to the extent of 28 TPD in Kohima and

          34.48 TPD in Dimapur. It is submitted by the Commissioner &

          Secretary, Urban Development & Municipal Affairs that this

          gap will be filled up within one year. It is strange that for filling

          up the gap between the daily generation and treatment of

          waste, one year time has been mentioned, whereas for clearing

          the legacy waste in these ULBs, the timeline of October 2026

          has been disclosed. If there is a gap in daily generation and

          treatment of waste then every day untreated waste is added to 2 the legacy waste. Hence, unless the gap is filled up, the entire

    legacy waste cannot be cleared.

(iv) In respect of above two ULBs, it has been disclosed that after

    bio-mining and bio-remediation, 18.4% and 19% plastic and

    rubber is received in these ULBs, but the manner of their

    utilisation/disposal has not been disclosed.

(v) We also find that in respect of Tseminyu, Shamator, Meluri

    and many such ULBs, no details of legacy waste or gap in daily

    generation and treatment of waste have been disclosed in this

    tabulated information.

(vi) The table on page 583 discloses the six-monthly progress from

    July to December 2025 in respect of the daily generation and

    treatment of waste. In respect of Kohima, it is noticed that 67

    TPD is generated, whereas, the collection is only 43 TPD. There

    is an unexplained gap between generation and treatment.

(vii) Similarly, in Dimapur, 78.3 TPD is generated, whereas

    collection is only of 74.6 TPD. In respect of Mokokchung, the

    waste generation is 13.5, whereas the collection is only 11.475

    TPD and the transportation of the waste is zero.

(viii) The aggregate figure discloses that the total waste generated in

    39 ULBs is 265.39 TPD, whereas the collection is only 181.476

    TPD. Therefore, there is a gap of 83.914 TPD in the generation

    and collection of waste.

(ix) The said chart further reveals that out of 181.476 TPD

    collection, the transportation is only 150.617 TPD. Therefore,

    there is unexplained gap of 30.859 TPD in the collection and

    transportation of the solid waste. Once the waste is collected,

    it is required to be transported or segregated and bio-mined,

    bio-remediated.

3

(x) The chart on page 586 gives incomplete picture relating to the

   waste processing. In respect of Kohima, the quality of

   composting is not assessed. The capacity of plan stated to be

   not available and similar is the situation in respect of Dimapur

   and other ULBs.

(xi) The solid waste which is uncollected or un-transported after

   collection may be going to the water bodies, therefore, the State

   of Nagaland is required to disclose the details and status of the

   water bodies in the State in the next report.

Liquid Waste:

(i) So far as the liquid waste is concerned, the chart on page 592

relates to the sewage waste management in Nagaland. The

chart discloses that there is one STP of 90 MLD in Kohima and

another of 25.43 MLD in Dimapur. The chart further discloses

that the utilization capacity of Kohima STP is nil. Therefore,

the inference is the Kohima STP is not working.

(ii) In the above chart, the utilisation capacity of Dimapur STP is

disclosed to be 18.4 MLD, but the chart on page 527 discloses

that this STP is damaged during monsoon 2025 and is not

operational. Hence, both the STPs, i.e., in Dimapur and

Kohima are non-operational and untreated sewage is being

discharged in the water bodies including rivers. In respect of

Dimapur, it has been disclosed that the discharge is in

Dhansiri River. Thus, the disclosure made in the chart reveals

that the order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the matter of Paryavaran Suraksha vs. Union of India, reported in (2017) 5

SCC 326 has not been complied with till now.

4
Ring Fence Account:

(i) In respect of creating the ring fence account in terms of the

earlier order of the Tribunal, learned Counsel appearing for the

State submits that the approval of the Finance Department

has been taken and the ring fence account will be opened and

amount will be deposited within one month.

1. In view of the above, the State of Nagaland is directed to file a fresh

status report disclosing the information in the tabulated chart which is

already provided earlier and also keeping in view the observations made

above.

1. List the matter on 22.11.2026 for consideration of the report in

respect of State of Nagaland.

1. For the State of Punjab, the matter be listed on 17.03.2026 as per

the earlier direction.

Prakash Shrivastava, CP

                                                  Dr. Afroz Ahmad, EM

March 16, 2026
Original Application No. 606/2018
(IA No 20/2025, IA No 539/2025, IA No 299/2024)
(In respect of State of Nagaland)
dv 5