Contractor hired to clear waste buries it in villages of Aravalli

A contractor hired to clear 32,000 tonne of waste - household garbage, construction debris and industrial refuse - dumped it across different parts of the ecologically sensitive Aravalli hills in Tauru and nearby villages instead of processing it properly, an investigation by HT has found.

- Leena Dhankhar

TAURU/NUH: The contract was worth ₹3 crore, with 50% paid to the contractor in December.

Spot visits by HT at various locations showed the waste was concealed with subsoil to avoid detection, potentially leading to environmental damage. The work order for the "bioremediation" of 32,000 tonne of legacy waste lying unattended for years was issued in November 2024.

Ground visits to at least 10 locations confirmed that rather than scientifically processing the waste, tractor trolleys and trucks transported it to over 20 dumping sites, including deep inside the Aravallis, where workers buried it under layers of subsoil.

Scientific processing involves creating windrows, spraying bioculture, and passing the waste through trommels of varying capacities and sizes to separate the materials, a process that typically takes at least a month to complete.

The illegal dumping violates multiple environmental laws, including the Environment Protection Act, 1986, the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

According to National Green Tribunal guidelines, waste dump sites require monthly air, soil and water testing to monitor any harmful contamination. There were no monitoring records.

When contacted, contractor Jagjeet Nain defended his actions, stating, "It is my wish where I throw the waste," demonstrating a disregard for environmental regulations.

Deputy commissioner of Nuh, Vishram Kumar Meena, responding to the findings, said strict action will be taken against both the contractor and the municipal body. "We will hold them accountable for environmental compensation, and legal proceedings will be initiated against the contractor," he said.