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Mr. Nitin Saxena made complaint dated 06.05.2026 on the Public Grievances Portal of this Tribunal, which has been treated and registered as Original Application (O.A.) No. 450/2026 for exercise of suo moto jurisdiction in view of law laid down by Hon’ble Supreme Court in Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha, (2022) 13 SCC 401.
The Applicant has raised grievances regarding grave environmental crisis and serious health hazards caused to residents due to unscientific disposal of E-waste (Electronic waste) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The relevant part of the O.A. enumerating grievances of the applicant is reproduced as follows:-
“xxx……………….………………..xxx……………………………………xxx महोदय, सविनय वनिेदन है वि संलग्न मीविया रिपोर्ट िे अनुसाि मध्यप्रदेश िी िाजधानी भोपाल में प्र विवदन बडी मात्रा में ई -िेस्ट (इलेक्ट्रॉवनि िचिा) उत्पन्न हो िहा है , वजसमें से िेिल लगभग 10% िा ही िैज्ञावनि ििीिे से वनपर्ान विया जा िहा है , जबवि शेष ई-िेस्ट अवनयंवत्रि रू प से िबावडयों/अनवधिृि इिाइयों िे माध्यम से नष्ट विया जा िहा है। यह स्थ िवि न िेिल पयाटििण संिक्षण िे वनयमों िा घोि उल्लंघन है , बस्थि मानि स्व ास्थ्य िे वलए भी अत्यंि गंभीि खििा उत्पन्न िि िही है। रिपोर्ट में स्पष्ट उल्लेख है वि मोबाइल , िंप्यूर्ि एिं अन्य इलेक्ट्रॉवनि िचिे िो खुले में जलाने िोडने से सीसा (Lead), पािा (Mercury), िैिवमयम (Cadmium), ोवमयम ( क्र Chromium) जैसी विषैली धािुएं वनिलिि िायु, वमट्टी एिं जल िो प्र दूवषि िि िही हैं , वजससे बच्ों िे मानवसि वििास पि विपिीि भािप्र , वििनी िोग िथा अन्य गंभीि बीमारियों िा खििा बढ़ िहा है। यह स्थ िवि एि " Silent Killer" िे रू प में िायट िि िही है। िानूनी एिं वनयामिीय उल्लंघन उक्त स्थ िवि वनम्नवलस्थखि प्र मुख पयाटििणीय िानूनों एिं वनयमों िा स्पष्ट उल्लंघन है -
1.E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 (संशोवधि 2022/2023)
•Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) िा पालन नहीं विया जा िहा
•अवधिृि संग्रहण एिं वनपर्ान चैनल िी अनदेखी
•अनवधिृि िबाडी स्क्रै प िीलिों द्व ािा प्र ोसेवसंग
2.Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
•Rule 4, 15 एिं 16 िे िहि िानीय वनिाय िी वजम्मेदािी िा उल्लंघन
•िैज्ञावनि वनपर्ान एिं segregation िी अनदेखी
•अवनयंवत्रि िंवपंग एिं खुले में जलाना
3.Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
•धािा 7 एिं 8 िे अंिगटि प्र दूषण वनयंत्रण मानिों िा उल्लंघन 4, Water Act, 1974 एिं Air Act, 1981
•भूजल एिं िायु प्र दूषण िे स्पष्ट संिेि
5.सुप्रीम िोर्ट िे वनदेश ( M.C. Mehta बनाम भािि संघ)
•"Polluter Pays Principle" एिं "Precautionary Principle" िा उल्लंघन िथ्यात्मि स्थ िवि (रिपोर्ट िे आधाि पि)
•विवदन भािी मात्रा में ई प्र -िेस्ट िा उत्पादन
•िेिल-10% िा िैज्ञावनि वनपर्ान
•लगभग 90% ई-िेस्ट अनवधिृि िबावडयों िे प्र ास
•शहि में 250 से अवधि िबाडी इिाइयों द्व ािा अिैज्ञावनि प्र ोसेवसंग
•ई-िेस्ट स्थ िवनि (िावपि) भी ििटमान में बंद/वनस्थिय
•जहिीली गैसों िा उत्सजटन एिं -भूजल प्र दूषण पयाटििणीय एिं जनस्वास्थ्य प्र भाि
•िायु गुणित्ता में वगिािर्
•भूजल एिं वमट्टी प्र दूषण
•बच्ों में न्यू िोलॉवजिल प्र भाि
•वििनी एिं श्व सन िोगों में िृस्थि
•खाद्य श्ृं खला ( Food Chain) पि दीघटिावलि प्र भाि ाथटनाएं (प्र Reliefs Sought) माननीय अवधििण से विनम्र वनिेदन है वि इस गंभीि विषय पि संज्ञान लेिे हु ए -
1.उच् स्त िीय संयुक्त जांच सवमवि ( CPCB, MPP.CB, MoEFCC एिं वजला प्र शासन) गविि ििने िे वनदेश वदए जाएं।
2.भोपाल में संचावलि सभी अनवधिृि ई-िेस्ट प्र ोसेवसंग इिाइयों/िबावडयों िी पहचान िि ित्काल बंद ििाया जाए।
3.सूचना िा अवधिाि अवधवनयम 2005 में जानिािी मांगने (संलग्न) पि भी जानिािी िो विपाने िाले नगि वनगम भोपाल एिं संबंवधि अवधिारियों िी जिाबदेही िय िि दंिात्मि िायटिाही िी जाए।
4.लापििाही िे िािण बंद हो चुिी E-Waste Clinic िो पुनः संचावलि िि प्र भािी िलेक्शन एिं िैज्ञावनि वनपर्ान सुवनविि विया जाए।
5."Polluter Pays Principle" िे िहि पयाटििणीय क्ष वि िा आिलन िि िसूली िी जाए।
6.शहि में संग्रहण िेंद्र ( Collection Centers) एिं अवधिृि िीसाइिसट िी व्य ििा अवनिायट िी जाए।
7.जनजागरूििा अवभयान चलािि नागरििों िो ई -िेस्ट िे सुिवक्षि वनपर्ान हेिु प्रे रिि विया जाए।
8.इस विषय पि समयबि Action Taken Report (ATR) ि ििने िे वनदेश वदए जाएं। प्रस्तु अंिरिम प्र ाथटना मामले िी गंभीििा िो देखिे हु ए ित्काल प्र भाि से
•खुले में ई-िेस्ट जलाने/िोडने पि िोि -
•अिायी रू प से सभी संवदग्ध इिाइयों िा संचालन िवगि ”
English translation made by the Registry of this Tribunal of the relevant part of the O.A. reproduced above, reads as under:-
“I submit that, according to the enclosed media report, a substantial quantity of electronic waste (E-Waste) is generated every day in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. However, only about 10% of this waste is being scientifically processed and disposed of, while the remaining is being handled through unauthorized scrap dealers and informal recycling units in an unregulated and environmentally unsafe manner. This situation constitutes not only a blatant violation of environmental laws and regulations but also poses a serious threat to public health.
The report specifically states that the open burning and dismantling of mobile phones, computers, and other electronic waste releases highly toxic substances such as Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Chromium, contaminating the air, soil, and groundwater. Exposure to these hazardous substances is likely to cause neurological disorders in children, kidney diseases, respiratory illnesses, and several other serious health problems. The situation is effectively functioning as a "Silent Killer."
Legal and Regulatory Violations The prevailing situation constitutes a clear violation of the following environmental laws and regulations:
1.E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 (as amended in 2022/2023)
•Non-compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations.
•Failure to ensure collection and disposal through authorized channels.
•Processing of E-Waste by unauthorized scrap dealers and informal recyclers.
2.Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
•Violation of Rules 4, 15, and 16, which prescribe the responsibilities of local authorities.
•Failure to ensure scientific segregation and disposal of waste.
•Illegal dumping and open burning of electronic waste.
3.Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
•Violation of Sections 7 and 8, relating to environmental pollution control standards.
4.Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
•Evident contamination of groundwater and deterioration of air quality.
5.Directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in M.C. Mehta v. Union of India
•Violation of the "Polluter Pays Principle" and the "Precautionary Principle."
Factual Position (Based on the Media Report)
•Large quantities of E-Waste are generated daily in Bhopal.
•Only about 10% is scientifically processed.
•Nearly 90% is handled by unauthorized scrap dealers.
•More than 250 unauthorized scrap units are engaged in informal E-Waste processing.
•The E-Waste Clinic established in the city is presently non-functional/closed.
•Hazardous emissions and groundwater contamination are occurring due to improper disposal practices.
Environmental and Public Health Impacts
•Deterioration of ambient air quality.
•Contamination of groundwater and soil.
•Neurological disorders and developmental impacts among children.
•Increase in kidney diseases and respiratory illnesses.
•Long-term contamination of the food chain.
Reliefs Sought In view of the seriousness of the matter, it is prayed that this Hon'ble Tribunal may be pleased to:
1.Constitute a High-Level Joint Committee comprising representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and the District Administration to investigate the matter.
2.Direct the immediate identification and closure of all unauthorized E-Waste processing units and scrap dealers operating in Bhopal.
3.Fix accountability and initiate appropriate disciplinary and penal action against officials of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation and other concerned authorities for suppressing information despite requests made under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (copies enclosed).
4.Direct the immediate revival and effective operation of the closed E-Waste Clinic to ensure proper collection and scientific disposal of electronic waste.
5.Assess and recover environmental compensation from the responsible polluters in accordance with the Polluter Pays Principle.
6.Direct the establishment of adequate Collection Centres and engagement of authorized E-Waste recyclers across the city.
7.Direct the concerned authorities to undertake comprehensive public awareness campaigns regarding the safe disposal of electronic waste.
8.Direct the concerned authorities to submit a time-bound Action Taken Report (ATR) before this Hon'ble Tribunal.
In view of the seriousness of the matter, with immediate effect:
•Prohibit the open burning or dismantling of e-waste.
•Temporarily suspend the operations of all suspected units.
The Applicant has appeared through V.C. but we could not make any interaction with him and could not hear the submissions made by him due to some technical audio problem on his side.
In the interest of justice adjournment is granted to the applicant for appearance and producing the material in support of the averments made in the O.A. on the next date of hearing fixed.
Even though the present case has been listed before this Bench by registering O.A. on the basis of complaint made by the Applicant, with approval and under order of Hon’ble Chairperson, but in view of the facts and circumstances of the case including the fact that the place of accrual of cause of action lies within jurisdiction of the Central Zone Bench of this Tribunal at Bhopal, we are of the considered view that it will be appropriate if the case is heard by the Central Zone Bench of this Tribunal at Bhopal.
Accordingly, the Registry is directed to list the matter before the Central Zone Bench of this Tribunal at Bhopal on 31.08.2026 after obtaining orders from Hon’ble the Chairperson for transfer of the case, if so required.
Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM August 11th, 2026 Original Application No. 450/2026 SN