A massive landfill containing nearly three lakh metric tonne legacy waste near Ghalori Gate has become a major source of concern for residents and visitors to the city’s largest cremation ground, with complaints of foul smell, environmental hazards and health risks.
The landfill, comprising largely unprocessed municipal waste, is located adjacent to the cremation ground, making it difficult for families to perform last rites of their loved ones. The visitors and workers at the cremation ground have reported experiencing nausea, dizziness and severe discomfort due to stench emanating from the landfill.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Environmental Engineer Navtesh Singla said the board has taken strict action against the Municipal Corporation (MC) for violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and for failing to ensure scientific disposal of municipal waste.
The PPCB has issued a notice to the MC under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 55 lakh, he said. According to Singla, the MC has already deposited the amount, which will be utilised for developing a green corridor around the landfill to prevent the spread of waste and mitigate environmental impacts in surrounding areas.
The issue has also reached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) after a complaint was filed by Bal Krishna Singla, President of Sanatan Dharam Sabha. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing in August this year.
In an interim order, the NGT constituted a joint committee comprising representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), PPCB and the District Magistrate, Patiala, and directed it to inspect the site and submit a report.
During its inspection, the committee found garbage mounds of more than 20 feet high along one side of the cremation ground. The workers informed the inspection team that foul odour from the dump intensifies whenever the wind blows towards the cremation ground, causing serious inconvenience during cremation ceremonies.
The committee’s report highlighted several environmental violations. It noted that leachate generated from the waste dump was flowing towards the cremation ground, damaging trees and vegetation within the premises. Leachate was also observed near the cremation ground raising concerns about increased runoff during the upcoming monsoon season and the potential threat to public health and the environment.
One of the most serious findings was the absence of a leachate collection and treatment system at the site. The committee observed that no catch pits or drainage arrangements had been installed to manage the lecheate.
The inspection team also found significant accumulation of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and its fractions lying at the site. Additionally, no green belt or buffer zone had been developed between the landfill and the cremation ground, despite its importance in controlling odour, preventing leachate movement and reducing environmental impacts.
The committee has recommended immediate remedial measures, including expediting bioremediation of legacy waste, installing a proper leachate collection and treatment system, constructing catch-pit drains around the landfill, developing a dense green belt near the cremation ground, removing waste dumped close to the cremation area and preparing a scientific disposal plan for RDF waste.
