Landfill Mismanagement and Leachate Pollution: A Case Study of the Bandhwari Landfill and the Aravali Ecosystem
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Environment & Ecology (Pollution, Solid Waste Management, Leachate, Legacy Waste, Key Institutions - National Green Tribunal (NGT), Geography - Aravali Range).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (Governance): "Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability"; "Role of statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies" (Failure to implement NGT orders).
General Studies Paper 3 (Environment & Disaster Management): "Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment"; "Disaster and disaster management" (Man-made disaster: pollution).
General Studies Paper 3 (Economy): "Infrastructure" (related to Waste Management infrastructure).
Key Highlights from the News
Untreated toxic leachate from the Bandhwari landfill site on the Gurugram-Faridabad Road is illegally discharged into the Aravalis forest area, creating an environmental and human crisis.
Despite continuous orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), this issue persists due to the negligence of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG).
This wastewater contaminates wildlife water holes in the forest and poses health threats to wildlife and humans.
Activists allege that MCG's claim of constructing a "garland drain" is false.
The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) observed that the delay in managing "legacy waste" is the root cause of this problem.
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