The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has directed the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to file a detailed report on the future of Manali waste incinerator, and barred the plant from being recommissioned without mandatory environmental clearances.î
The bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, was hearing a case taken up suo motu based on news reports regarding the illegal functioning of the waste incinerator.
During the earlier hearing, the Bench took serious note of allegations of municipal waste being openly burnt at the Manali site, despite the incinerator being non-functional. The GCC had then informed the Bench that it had awarded a contract for repair of the facility on June 3, 2025, with a two-month deadline for completion.
The Bench had warned against unauthorised burning, and directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to issue notice and impose penalties on offenders.
On August 11, the Bench said that the contractorâs stipulated two-month period had expired without any report of completion. The GCCâs counsel sought additional time to file a detailed status report. In the meantime, the civic body is reportedly diverting waste to the Kodungaiyur facility.
The TNPCB submitted that it had issued directions under Section 33A of the Water Act and Section 31A of the Air Act, and had clearly instructed that the Manali unit must not be operated until upgraded air pollution control measures and a suitable heat or energy recovery systems are installed. The unit must also comply with TNPCBâs earlier directions dated June 12, 2020, and obtain fresh Consent to Operate before recommissioning.
The Bench has now directed the GCC to submit its future plan of action, and instructed the TNPCB to maintain strict vigilance to ensure that the unit does not resume operations in violation of law. The matter has been posted for further hearing on September 25.
Published â August 15, 2025 12:56 am IST
