Plastic Waste, Debris at Kapurwadi Lake in Ahilyanagar? NGT Orders Army to Be Made Respondent
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 12th August 2026: The National Green Tribunal’s Western Zone Bench in Pune has directed an applicant to implead the Army in Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) in a case concerning alleged dumping of plastic waste, solid waste and construction debris in and around Kapurwadi Lake.
The direction was issued on August 10 while the tribunal was hearing Original Application No. 80 of 2026, filed by Jaymala Dhankikar against the State of Maharashtra and other respondents. The matter was heard by Judicial Member Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Expert Member Dr. Sujit Kumar Bajpayee.
According to the order, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board filed an affidavit dated August 7 stating that it had asked the Kapurwadi Gram Panchayat on January 21 to take appropriate waste-disposal measures and prevent future dumping and unauthorised construction around the lake.
The MPCB said its officials inspected the site with a Gram Panchayat representative on July 13. During the inspection, they found only a small quantity of water in certain parts of the lake.
“No debris, large amounts of plastic waste, or solid waste were observed anywhere within the lake’s premises,” the tribunal’s order quoted the MPCB affidavit as stating.
Dhankikar, who appeared in person, told the bench that photographs submitted when the application was filed showed debris at the site. However, she accepted that the MPCB’s account “may be taken to be correct as of now.”
The tribunal noted that the area was reportedly being maintained by the Ahilyanagar Army, which had not been named as a party in the proceedings.
“We direct the applicant to implead Ahilyanagar Army after finding its correct address as one of the respondents,” the bench ordered.
The applicant was given one week to add the Ahilyanagar Army as Respondent No. 6. The tribunal’s Registry was directed to issue a notice to the newly added respondent, returnable within four weeks.
The Director of the Environment and Climate Change Department was granted two weeks to file a reply. The tribunal also recorded that none of the other respondents appeared despite sufficient service.
The matter has been listed for further consideration on September 28, 2026.
