DIMAPUR — Nagaland is among the 25 states and union territories in India that lack operational municipal solid waste (MSW)-based Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plants, according to a report presented before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench, New Delhi.
The state, like many others, reported the absence of such facilities to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which is assessing the compliance and efficacy of WtE plants nationwide.
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies consist of any waste treatment process that creates energy in the form of electricity or heat from several types of waste.
During a suo motu hearing on January 13, the NGT reviewed CPCB’s report, which revealed that even states with operational facilities compliance with environmental norms remain a concern.
The NGT has directed CPCB to file an updated affidavit by April 16, detailing the corrective actions taken against non-compliant plants and clarifying the exact number of operational WtE facilities.
According to data presented by the Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) in November 2024, urban areas in the state produce 303.85 tonnes of waste per day (TPD), with only 260 TPD collected and the remaining garbage left to accumulate in drains and open spaces.
Of the 39 urban local bodies (ULBs)—comprising three municipalities and 36 town councils—only Kohima has a scientific treatment plant. However, this facility has been non-functional for four to five years, forcing the remaining ULBs to rely on open dumping without waste segregation, the NPCB data revealed.
Dimapur, one of three municipalities in the state, contributes a staggering 90 to 100 tonnes of waste daily, with studies by the NPCB revealing that over 50% of it is organic waste.
The situation in rural areas is even direr, with no established waste management systems and no data on the amount of waste generated. This is particularly concerning given that Nagaland has 1,355 villages, according to the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, officials of the NPCB said during a workshop held in Kohima on November 18, 2024.
Adding to the state’s waste management challenges, the NGT has taken suo motu cognisance of the severe plastic pollution at Doyang Dam and its impact on human health and wildlife in the region.
The matter is currently under the jurisdiction of the NGT’s East Zone Bench and is scheduled for its next hearing on February 2.