Bhopal: Adampur Landfill Poisons Air, Groundwater Within 1 Km Radius

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Adampur Chawani landfill in Bhopal has become a public health emergency, with air and groundwater contamination reported within a 1-km radius, according to a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court of India.

During a hearing, CPCB slammed Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) for serious lapses in waste management and fire prevention. The report, compiled after a June 12 site inspection, found the dumping of over 12 lakh tonnes of unprocessed waste, recurrent fires and groundwater pollution at alarming levels.

On Wednesday, environmentalist Subhash C. Pandey shared the findings publicly, stating that 18 fire incidents have occurred at the site in the past 15 months, many of which were not officially reported. Residents of seven urban villages near the dumpsite are now battling toxic air and contaminated drinking water, with iron content in groundwater reportedly 100 times above safe limits.

The Supreme Court has directed the District Legal Services Authority, Bhopal, to assess the public health impact and ensure medical care for affected communities.

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Groundwater contaminated by leachate

The toxic liquid (leachate) generated from decaying garbage has seeped into the soil, polluting groundwater used by nearby villages. Pandey blamed BMC’s inaction and recalled a petition filed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in March 2023 after repeated fires at the site. The NGT had imposed a Rs 1.8 crore fine on BMC in July 2023, but the corporation challenged the penalty in Supreme Court instead of resolving the issue.

Unscientific waste dumping

According to the CPCB report, 10 to 12 lakh tonnes of waste lie heaped at the landfill. While Bhopal generates around 850 tonnes of waste daily, BMC processes only 420 tonnes scientifically. The rest is dumped untreated, leading to serious soil, water, and air contamination. The landfill lacks basic scientific management, contrary to national waste processing standards.

18 fires in 15 months

Pandey revealed that 18 fire outbreaks occurred at the dumpsite between April 2024 and July 2025, mostly during the hot summer months. Shockingly, many were never logged, showing a failure in monitoring and reporting. The CPCB found that despite BMC having fire-fighting equipment, borewells and a 3.5 lakh litre water tank, it failed to implement even basic fire prevention protocols laid out in CPCB’s 2022 guidelines.

CPCB flags a pattern of neglect

The inspection team, led by ScientistF AK Vidyarthi, observed a disturbing pattern of major fire incidents during peak heat months. Despite repeated warnings, the site still lacks gas detectors, temperature sensors and a proper surveillance system. The continued neglect has not only worsened the environmental crisis, but also exposed thousands to daily health risks.