Archive · 18 Aug 2026
NGT Takes Cognisance of Unsafe E-Waste Disposal in Bhopal
People in Bhopal, a city in India, throw away old phones, computers, and other electronic things.
This kind of trash is called electronic waste, or e-waste.
A man named Nitin Saxena told a special court that a lot of e-waste is made every day in Bhopal.
He said only about 10 out of every 100 pieces of e-waste are recycled the safe way.
The rest is taken by scrap dealers who break it apart without following safety rules.
Sometimes people burn the e-waste in the open, which lets out dangerous chemicals.
These chemicals can get into the air, the soil, and the water.
They can make children and adults very sick.
A special court called the National Green Tribunal is now looking into this problem.
The court will hear the case on August 31 in Bhopal.
The Central Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal will hear the e-waste disposal case on August 31 in Bhopal.
The petition was filed in NGT Delhi, which directed the NGT Central Zone bench in Bhopal to hear it.
Applicant Nitin Saxena cited media reports that only about 10% of Bhopal's daily e-waste is scientifically processed.
The remaining e-waste is handled by unauthorised scrap dealers and informal recycling units in an unregulated and unsafe manner.
Open burning and dismantling of e-waste releases toxic substances like lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium, threatening public health.
- Who
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Central Zone Bench, applicant Nitin Saxena, and judges Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Dr A Senthil Vel.
- What
- The NGT took cognisance of a petition alleging that only about 10% of Bhopal's e-waste is scientifically processed, with the rest handled unsafely by unauthorised scrap dealers and informal recycling units.
- When
- The case will be heard on August 31; the matter was previously heard by the NGT bench.
- Where
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh; the petition was filed in NGT Delhi.
- Why
- Unregulated e-waste handling and open burning release toxic substances that contaminate air, soil, and groundwater and pose serious public health risks, violating environmental laws.
- Court
- National Green Tribunal (NGT) Central Zone Bench
- Hearing Date
- August 31
- Location
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
- Applicant
- Nitin Saxena
- E-Waste Scientifically Processed
- About 10%
- Toxic Substances Released
- Lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium
- Health Risks
- Neurological disorders in children, kidney diseases, respiratory illnesses
- Bench Members
- Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Dr A Senthil Vel