The National Green Tribunal has directed the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to submit an action-taken affidavit on remedial measures against an allegedly unauthorised micro-composting centre operating in a residential area of Bhubaneswar, warning that the board’s member secretary could be required to appear before the tribunal if the direction is not followed.
The East zone bench issued the direction on October 7 while hearing a petition filed by a private organisation based in Bhubaneswar against the facility in GA Colony, Bharatpur, which falls under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area. The bench was headed by Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, judicial member, along with expert members A Senthil Vel and Ishwar Singh.
The tribunal directed the OSPCB to take remedial action in accordance with the law after giving the municipal corporation an opportunity to present its position. The board has also been asked to file its action-taken affidavit at least one day before the next hearing, scheduled for December 16, 2026.
The order states that if the direction is not complied with, the OSPCB member secretary must appear before the tribunal either physically or through video conference to explain the circumstances of the non-compliance. The direction places the state pollution regulator at the centre of the immediate response, while also requiring the municipal corporation to be heard before remedial measures are taken.
The tribunal’s action followed an affidavit filed by the OSPCB member secretary on February 23, 2026. According to the affidavit cited in the report, “no authorization has been issued” for the facility. It also stated that regular monitoring, as envisaged under Rule 16(4) of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, had not been conducted.
The petitioner has challenged the legality of the composting centre and alleged that it was established close to residential houses without an adequate buffer zone. It has further alleged that the facility’s waste-handling operations, foul odour and round-the-clock activity created persistent nuisance and potential health risks for residents. The petition said the conditions had made life “unbearable” for senior citizens, women and children in the neighbourhood. These claims remain part of the proceedings before the tribunal.
The case illustrates the regulatory questions that arise when decentralised waste-processing facilities are located within established residential areas. Micro-composting centres are intended to handle organic waste closer to where it is generated, but their operation still depends on authorisation, monitoring and compliance with applicable waste-management requirements. The tribunal’s order does not determine the final legality of the facility, but requires the regulator to report on the action taken and the remedial steps proposed.
The NGT had issued notices on December 17, 2025, to the BMC commissioner, concerned state department secretaries, the Khurda collector, the Bhubaneswar police commissioner, and the member secretaries of the OSPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board. The respondents have since filed their responses. The OSPCB’s action-taken affidavit is due at least one day before the final hearing on December 16.
