The observation was made during the proceedings arising from a petition filed by K.S. Mohan and separate suo motu proceedings initiated over the April 2024 Vellalore dumpyard fire.
In an order passed on September 2, the Tribunal considered a technical report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) following a joint inspection with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to assess the ground status, adequacy, and environmental compliance of legacy-waste bio-mining and fresh municipal solid-waste processing facilities.
“A quick perusal of the report would indicate that the solid waste management is far from satisfaction,” the Tribunal observed.
The CPCB report said Coimbatore generated 1,293 tonnes of solid waste a day, with the Corporation reporting 91%-95% source segregation. Though the total processing capacity was 1,164 tonnes a day, the inspection found major deficiencies in the functioning and efficiency of several facilities.
Of the 36 Micro Composting Centres inspected, only 10 were functional. Their operational capacity was only 32.2-36 tonnes a day against a design capacity of 47 tonnes. Compost recovery was around five tonnes a day, indicating a processing efficiency of just 14.7%.
The Windrow Composting Plant was also found to have a 73% shortfall in the area required under CPCB guidelines. Though around 460 tonnes of wet waste was processed a day, compost production was only about 60 tonnes, with processing efficiency below 12%.
The CPCB also found that the Corporation had not obtained the TNPCB authorisation to operate its sanitary dumpyard. Leachate was found stagnating around the dumpyard, while the treatment facility was found inadequate.
Groundwater samples from 17 borewells in and around the Vellalore site exceeded acceptable drinking water standards for TDS, chloride, BOD, copper and nickel. All 17 borewells were found unfit for drinking.
It was reported that nearly 89 lakh tonnes of legacy waste covered with soil and fresh waste disposed of in recent years was spread over 25 acres of the Vellalore site and was yet to be bio-mined.
The Tribunal said the existing processing capacity was insufficient to complete Phase II bio-mining by October 2026 as proposed by the Corporation.
The NGT directed the Corporation Commissioner to examine each of the CPCB’s findings and submit a comprehensive report on the action taken and a time-bound action plan for implementing the recommendations.
The Commissioner was also directed to explain the reasons for the