Green Tribunal orders Hamirpur MC to clear 10,000 MT legacy waste by Feb

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued strict directions to the Hamirpur Municipal Corporation (MC) to clear the entire 10,000 metric tonnes of legacy waste lying at the Dughneri dumping site by February 10, 2026. The directive came through an order dated October 17, after the tribunal noted negligible progress in waste remediation despite repeated instructions in the past four years.

The NGT expressed discontent that, despite the matter being under its consideration since 2020, only 228 tonnes of waste had been treated out of an estimated 2,100 tonnes by September 2022. It observed that remedial measures had been inadequate and tardy. The tribunal has also instructed the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (HPPCB) to conduct a site inspection immediately after the February 2026 deadline to confirm full compliance.

In his submission before the bench on August 12, 2025, the Commissioner of Hamirpur MC assured that the entire waste would be cleared within six months and presented a time-bound execution plan to achieve this. The MC now proposes to process the waste using two separator machines capable of handling 200-250 tonnes per day. Recyclables will be sent to authorised recyclers, Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) fractions to paper mills and inert material will be used as landfill cover.

Parallelly, the civic body plans to manage 17 metric tonnes of fresh waste generated daily, comprising 8-9 MT of wet waste and 7-8 MT of dry waste, to ensure no new legacy waste accumulates. To boost wet waste processing, 15 additional compost pits are being created, and part of the organic waste is already being diverted to piggery units. The MC also aims to expand partnerships with more piggery units while the remaining wet waste will be composted or treated at bio-methanation plants.

Upgrades to infrastructure, including new compost pits, leachate management systems, overhead sheds and enhanced power supply, are also planned to ensure uninterrupted waste management operations.