Ghaziabad, Nov. 7 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought responses from the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation and other respondents after the head of Dhabarsi village moved the court against the setting up of a solid waste processing site on agricultural land in the area. The tribunal has asked all parties to file their affidavits before the next hearing, scheduled for January 9, 2026. According to corporation officials, the site handles about 900 metric tonnes of solid waste daily on 21 bighas of leased land from private owners. The petitioner, Aasma, the village head, has alleged that the facility was established without proper environmental clearance and in violation of Solid Waste Management Rules. The plea states that the consent to establish, granted by the UP Pollution Control Board on April 5, 2025, lacked key site details such as geo-coordinates, and that under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, a common municipal waste facility requires prior environmental clearance. The NGT order dated October 9 noted that the application "raises substantial issues relating to compliance with environmental norms." When contacted, city health officer Mithlesh Kumar said the corporation would file its reply soon. "The site was selected for processing the city's waste and is managed by a private firm. There has been frequent disruption by locals, and FIRs have been filed. But waste processing is essential for the city," he said, adding that the issue appeared to be politically motivated. Dhabarsi villagers have faced three FIRs since May for protesting against the site, which they say has created unhygienic conditions. Residents allege that garbage is dumped in the open and waste leachate is contaminating nearby groundwater and crop fields, posing a health risk. Ghaziabad generates about 1,400-1,500 tonnes of waste daily. A proposed waste-to-energy plant in Galand, Hapur, meant to handle this load, has remained stalled since 2019 due to local opposition....