New Delhi, Aug 24 The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Centre and other authorities in a matter regarding a Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF) in the national capital allegedly operating in violation of environmental norms.
The green body was hearing a plea claiming that Biotic Waste Solutions Pvt Ltd, a CBWTF, in the SSI Industrial Area on GT Karnal Road, was flouting environmental rules and posing a risk to nearby residents through the emission of black smoke and improper disposal of ash.
In an order dated August 21, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad said the applicant's counsel had pointed out a show-cause notice issued to the private CBWTF by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in April 2026 highlighting several discrepancies.
These included the absence of barcode labels on waste bags, a non-functional Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and the handling of bio-medical waste by staff without proper protective gear, the bench noted.
The plea alleged that while the facility was permitted to operate only two incinerators, it was found using three, and that incinerator ash was being disposed of at the Bhalswa landfill without verifying whether it contained hazardous heavy metals.
Other alleged violations included the failure to submit mandatory six-monthly compliance reports on the government's PARIVESH portal and not maintaining a mandatory website with real-time pollution data, as required under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules.
The bench said the plea raised “serious issues” regarding compliance with environmental norms and directed that notice be issued to the respondents.
The respondents in the case include the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Delhi State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Directorate General of Health Services, DPCC, Central Pollution Control Board, Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) and others.
The matter has been posted for further proceedings on November 4.
