'Toxic leachate being released in Aravallis': Locals rap MC

Residents of Bandhwari village have accused the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) of illegally discharging untreated leachate—a toxic liquid byproduct of waste decomposition—directly into the Aravalli forest through a concealed underground pipeline network.

- Leena Dhankhar

The alleged discharge, villagers claim, has endangered public health, contaminated groundwater, and threatened local wildlife.

“This is an environmental disaster in the making,” said Harbir Harsana, a Bandhwari resident and environmentalist. “The leachate is flowing straight into the forest and seeping into our water sources. It smells foul, poses health risks, and is endangering animals in the hills,” Harsana added.

Locals say the network of pipelines appeared overnight within the last three days, without public consultation or administrative disclosure. “This is nothing less than a criminal act. For years we've suffered because of the landfill. Now they're dumping liquid poison into our forest,” said Sanjay Rawat, another Bandhwari villager.