NGT Orders Bhopal Corporation to Detail Action Against 50 Illegal Plastic Recycling Units

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has rejected a compliance report from the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and demanded, within four weeks, detailed evidence of action against 50 illegal plastic recycling units operating in the city.

At a hearing on Thursday, a bench comprising Justice Shiv Kumar Singh and expert member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi found the corporation's compliance report, dated September 9, 2026, inadequate on every issue the tribunal raised. The report failed to address action against the 50 unlicensed recycling units, enforcement of the single-use plastic ban, and e-waste disposal.

The case consolidates two matters: a suo motu proceeding registered by the tribunal (OA No. 189/2025) and a petition filed by Anil Kumar Verma (OA No. 37/2026). The bench heard them together.

What did the tribunal find missing?

Three gaps drew the bench's attention:

• No details of enforcement action against the 50 illegal plastic recycling units operating in Bhopal.
• No sufficient account of steps taken to enforce the ban on single-use plastic items.
• No information on measures to ensure proper disposal of e-waste.

The bench observed specifically that the September 9 report lacked sufficient detail on enforcement of the plastic ban.

The tribunal also flagged the environmental stakes. Discarded plastic persists in the environment and breaks down into smaller particles that can affect soil and water sources. Chemicals released from plastic waste in landfills can seep into groundwater. Surface runoff can carry pollutants into rivers and lakes.

Who must file what, and by when?

A counsel for the State Government told the tribunal that the administration is collecting information from the departments concerned. The bench directed the authorities to compile the required data and file a comprehensive response within four weeks, before the next hearing. Copies of the report must go to the other parties in the case.

The tribunal directed respondents 3, 4 and 5 in Verma's petition to file their replies. Respondent 12 referred to a 2018 petition pending before the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court concerning similar issues in Gwalior. The NGT ordered that a copy of that petition be shared with the other parties so arguments can proceed on the maintainability of the current proceedings.

The bench further sought details of compliance with its earlier directions. Respondents who have not yet filed replies must submit compliance reports on the tribunal's order dated January 21, 2026.

What happens next?

The matter returns to the tribunal on January 7, 2027. That hearing will test whether the corporation can produce verifiable enforcement records — unit-by-unit action against the 50 illegal recycling operations, documented single-use plastic seizures, and an e-waste disposal account — or face further scrutiny for non-compliance.

For Bhopal's informal plastic recycling sector, the four-week deadline is the operative constraint. Fifty unpermitted processing units remain the tribunal's concrete target, and the January hearing will determine whether the municipal corporation has moved against them or merely reported around them.