Mohali residents move National Green Tribunal over delay in waste management plant

Even after over a decade of planning, the proposed Regional Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility at Samgoli has not yet become operational. Terming the long delay a severe environmental and public health issue, the Confederation of Greater Mohali Residents Welfare Associations has approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in public interest.

According to the confederation, the government planned the regional waste management facility at Samgoli more than a decade ago. Around 50 acres of land were acquired for the project in 2017, and the possession of nearly 39 acres was handed over to the Mohali Municipal Corporation, in 2020. Despite this, the plant is still not operational. A tender issued in 2020 for the construction of a boundary wall was also later cancelled.

Citing the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) proceedings dated June 5, 2026, the confederation stated that solid waste management issues still persist in Greater Mohali. Confederation president KK Saini stated that residents raised the matter multiple times with the MC Commissioner and senior officials of the Local Government Department to seek a clear project timeline. However, no firm or reliable timeline has been provided yet.

The confederation has urged the NGT to demand a comprehensive status report from Punjab Government, Local Government Department, Municipal Corporation, GMADA, PMIDC, and PPCB. They also requested a time-bound action plan to make the plant functional within a set deadline and demanded strict implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, in the interim.

The confederation asked GMADA to ensure adequate infrastructure for scientific waste management before approving major projects.