NGT Orders Closure Of Garbage Dump Near AIIMS Delhi For Violating Waste Management Norms

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Principal Bench at New Delhi has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to close a garbage dump (“Dhalao”) located near the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), observing that its presence in a densely populated and environmentally sensitive area violates national waste management norms.

The Bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson) and Dr. A. Senthil Vel (Expert Member), was hearing Original Application No. 250/2024, filed by an 85 year old resident of South Extension, Part-I, New Delhi, who complained that the open garbage dump located across AIIMS Gate No. 6 caused severe pollution and foul smell in the area.

The Tribunal noted that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had both confirmed the mismanaged status of the Dhalao. An inspection by DPCC officials on October 8, 2024, found the dump overflowing with mixed garbage, with waste spilling onto the road, foul odour, and ragpickers manually segregating recyclables.

The inspection also found that garbage lifting was irregular, often leading to overfilled bins and unhygienic conditions near one of India’s premier medical institutions.

The CPCB, in its report dated January 31, 2025, recommended immediate closure of the Dhalao as it is located next to a hospital area, citing serious environmental and public health concerns.

It recorded that while the MCD had closed 970 out of 1,496 Dhalaos in Delhi, this particular site continued to operate in violation of norms.

The Tribunal referred to earlier orders passed in OA No. 92/2023 (Neel Mani v. South Delhi Municipal Corporation & Ors.), where it had directed MCD to close all such Dhalaos and use the sites for alternative public purposes such as libraries, senior citizen centres, or EV charging stations. It also cited the directions issued in OA No. 202/2023 (Gaurav Sharma v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi & Ors.), which had emphasized maintaining environmental management plans around hospital complexes as part of citizen's right to a clean environment under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The Bench relied on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) framed by CPCB on December 23, 2024, for Secondary Storage and Transportation Facilities (SSTF) for municipal solid waste. The SOP explicitly prohibits locating such facilities in densely populated or environmentally sensitive areas, including near hospitals or schools.

The Tribunal observed that the AIIMS Dhalao “clearly violates” this guideline.

Accordingly, the NGT directed the MCD to take expeditious steps for the closure of the Dhalao and complete the process within six months. It also directed the Corporation to identify and operationalize an alternate waste management facility in compliance with the SOP and Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, ensuring that the new site does not create public nuisance or environmental hazards.

Until the closure is completed, the Bench ordered MCD to fully comply with environmental safeguards specified under Clause 5.6 of the CPCB SOP, which mandates covered storage, odour control measures, fire prevention, and green belt development to mitigate the dump’s impact on the surroundings.

The Tribunal further instructed the DPCC to continue regulatory monitoring of the site and take immediate remedial or punitive action if garbage is found littered in or around the area.

The matter was disposed of with these directions.

Case Title: Sudesh Prakash Sabberwal v. Union of India & Ors.

Bench: Justice Prakash Shrivastava (Chairperson) and Dr. A. Senthil Vel (Expert Member)

Date of Judgment: October 16, 2025