As Green Tribunal orders closure of Surat's polluting solid waste site, activists seek removal of Ahmedabad site

Solid waste site in Surat

By A Representative
In a ruling of far-reaching implications, not just for Surat but also for Ahmedabad, the National Green Tribunal (NTG) has asked the Surat authorities in South Gujarat to take a decision and “issue work order for commencing the work of closure of Khajod open dumping site within one month”, even as start working on the action plan for scientific disposal of solid waste.
Located in the coastal zone of Surat, Gujarat’s second biggest city, which has turned into a major business hub in western India, Khajod has turned into a major cause of pollution, affecting around five lakh people, says MSH Sheikh, a well-known environment expert, who has been campaigning against the site’s existence for the last several years.
Dumping municipal solid waste (MSW) on its 117 hectares (ha) site, the pollution caused by fire on it “spreads heavy air pollution in 10 km radius, causing health issues in Khajod, Budiya, Gabeni, Dipli, Jiyav and Bhimrad villages, all of whom are situated in the five kilometers of the site, Sheikh says, adding, “Vector borne diseases, over and above air pollution and foul odour, have been reported due to the mismanagement of the site.”

Massive air pollution caused by Surat site

According to available estimates, Surat city generates a total of 1,600 metric tonnes of solid waste per day, all of which is dumped at Khajod. A private company, which was given the contract to “handle” the solid waste, says the expert, never cared to do it in a scientific manner. The result is, as of today, more than 40 lakh metric tonnes of solid waste has gathered at the site.
Parivartan Trust, the NGO which went to the NGT against the polluting site, says, “Despite our repeated requests, neither Gujarat’s urban development department, nor the municipal corporation authorities did anything to ensure that this private company handles sold waste in a scientific way. This is one reason why we decided to approach the NGT.”
The NGT ruling comes amidst increasing concern not just in Surat but also in Ahmedabad, whose outskirts have a major dumping site with similar characteristics. Situated near Pirana village, it adversely affects lakhs of people living around the spot. Worse, set up in 1980, a 1989 Gujarat government notification had said, the dumping site should be disbanded and shifted “within 20-25 years”, which meant it should have been removed by 2005.

Ahmedabad site situated next to a huge locality

“Yet nothing has been done for this, Insaf Foundation, a local NGO campaigning against the Ahmedabad MSW site, says. The NGO quotes an Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, study to say that there are as many as 35 poisonous gases emanating from the Pirana solid waste site. Another study by the St Xavier’s College, is quoted as saying that the pollution level around the site is twice as much as the rest of the city.
“As a result of this, the death rate among the residents of the area is much higher. Women complain of premature abortion. The water pollution because of the site has also led to higher incidence of kidney failure, acute asthma cases, heart failure, and so on”, Insaf’s Kalim Siddique, who has prepared a profile of individuals suffering from the diseases, says.

Comments

राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

- राज कुमार सिन्हा* जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए।

'A tribal lifeline': Health rights group asks Gujarat governor to halt Vyara govt hospital privatization

By A Representative In a strong appeal to the Governor of Gujarat, the National Health Rights Alliance (NHRA)—an initiative of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)—has urged the state to halt the ongoing move to privatize the Vyara Government Hospital and Medical College in Tapi district.

Old bias, new excuses: How western media misrepresents India’s anti-terror strikes

By Gajanan Khergamker The recent Indian military strikes on Pakistan, dubbed Operation Sindoor, have sparked a storm of international media coverage. Several prominent outlets have portrayed India as the aggressor in the escalating conflict, raising concerns over biased reporting. This commentary critiques coverage by foreign media outlets such as The New York Times , Reuters, BBC, and CNN, which have often been accused of framing India’s actions as escalatory while downplaying or omitting critical context regarding Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism. By examining historical patterns and current geopolitical dynamics, this analysis highlights the recurring selective framing, omission of evidence, and a tendency to favor narratives aligned with Western geopolitical interests over factual nuance.

Censor Board's bullying delays 'Phule': A blow to India's democratic spirit

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* A film based on the life and legacy of Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule was expected to release today. Instead, its release has been pushed to the last week of April. The reason? Protests by self-proclaimed guardians of caste pride—certain Brahmin groups—and forced edits demanded by a thoroughly discredited Censor Board.

CASR urges immediate halt to Operation Kagaar, calls for peace talks with Maoists

By A Representative The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a collective of over 40 civil society organizations, has issued a press statement demanding an immediate end to "Operation Kagaar" and alleged state-led killings of Maoist rebels and indigenous people in central India. The group also called on the central government to create a conducive environment for initiating peace talks with the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).

जैविक जीवित संसाधनों व प्रकृति पर निर्भर मजदूरों की व्यापक आर्थिक सुरक्षा कैसे हो?

- राज कुमार सिन्हा* भारत में 60 करोड़ से अधिक लोग भूमि, जल, जंगल और समुद्र जैसे प्राकृतिक स्रोतों पर निर्भर हैं । देश में 14.6 करोड़ छोटे और सीमांत किसान, 14.4 करोड़ खेतिहर मजदूर ( बड़ी संख्या में दलित हैं), 27.5 करोड़ वन निवासी, 2.8 करोड़ मछुआरे, 1.3 करोड़ पशुपालक और 1.7 करोड़ कारीगर हैं जो सीधे तौर पर प्रकृति के साथ और प्रकृति के भरोसे काम कर रहे हैं । लगभग 6 करोड़ मौसमी मजदूर हैं जो काम के सिलसिले में लगातार अपने गांव से बाहर जाते हैं और लौटते हैं। प्रकृति निर्भर समुदायों की आर्थिक गतिविधियां जो बड़े पैमाने पर जीवन निर्वाह और छोटी आय के लिए है। वर्तमान आर्थिक नीतियों के कारण, जो कॉर्पोरेट्स और बड़े व्यवसायों का समर्थन करती है, प्रकृति निर्भर समुदाय के लिए अव्यवहारिक होती जा रही है।

Naveen Gautam creates history, becomes first Dalit youth to moderate session at UN

By A Representative In a historic moment for Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, Mr. Naveen Gautam of the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD) became the first Dalit youth to moderate a session at any United Nations forum.

Kashmiriyat lives: Beyond the prime-time lies

By Rimmi Vaghela I am Rimmi from Ahmedabad. I contemplated this blog on April 27, 2025 in Jammu, when my plans of revisiting the paradise called Kashmir were shattered—not by fear, but by circumstances and sorrow. I decided to share my story with a heavy heart, hoping it reaches those who still believe in the warmth of humanity over the divisive noise of prime-time media.

In the fury of war, humanity succumbs to the illusion of nationalism

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* On May 7, Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti—also known as Rabindra Jayanti or Poncheeshe Boishakh in Kolkata—we celebrated the birth anniversary of the renowned poet, writer, philosopher, reformer, and Nobel laureate. On this occasion, I draw attention to Tagore’s timeless quotes, which resonate profoundly today, perhaps more than ever, as we live in a time when the ruling government has pushed the nation toward war.

Choice of the word 'Sindoor' in India's anti-terror operation: Symbolic feminism or patriarchal strategy?

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* In the aftermath of a war and subsequent ceasefire in 2025, Operation Sindoor has emerged as a focal point of national discourse, not only for its military objectives but also for its symbolic framing. The operation, named after a traditional marker of Hindu marital identity, and the prominent roles of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force in its media briefings, have been widely celebrated as a step toward gender inclusivity.

Search This Blog