Chandbadli Village's Fight Against Toxic Waste Dumping Near Their Only Water Source

This controversy has taken deep roots in Chand Badli village, which falls under Nipaniya Chetan gram panchayat in Narsinghgarh block. District officials had earlier allocated land to Kurawar municipal council for waste disposal. Now, urban garbage is being dumped on this land. The problem is that this location is right next to the village's main pond, which serves as the primary water source for 4-5 surrounding villages.

According to basic rules for setting up dumping grounds, such facilities should be built away from populated areas and in places that cause minimal environmental damage. However, in Rajgarh, these standards have been completely ignored.

Legal Battle and Villagers' Struggle

When this land was allocated to the municipal council in 2022, local residents filed complaints with the collector, SDM, and in court. However, their case was dismissed. According to the villagers' lawyer Dinesh Sharma, he had advised them to appeal in the high court at that time, but for some reasons, the villagers did not pursue this further.

The situation became more serious in July 2025 when the municipality arrived with police force, built tin walls around the site, and started dumping urban waste. Since then, the village's air quality has been steadily declining, and residents are facing serious problems.

Community Concerns

Village resident Aslam Khan explains that the contaminated material coming from this dumping ground located in the middle of the village is directly polluting the pond, wells, and other drinking water sources. This creates a serious risk of diseases spreading in the village.

Dinesh Meena from nearby Manpura village has a different concern. He points out that a platform has been built here for farmers to weigh their grain. Due to the stench from garbage, how will farmers be able to use this place in the future?

Saleem Khan says that the entire village drinks water from a tubewell located near this pond. Water mixed with garbage will completely destroy their water sources. Not only Chand Badli but all surrounding villages are opposed to this dumping.

Administrative Indifference

Village panchayat representative Hariprasad says that before building this dumping ground, neither was permission taken from the gram panchayat nor were they informed about it. No work can be done without gram panchayat permission, yet this has happened, which is beyond understanding.

On the other hand, urban representatives seem unaware of this problem. MP representative Bala Prasad Chandravanshi claims they have received land from the government and have won the case in court. According to him, the waste dumping area has been covered and chemicals are being used to manage the garbage properly.

The Reality is Different

However, the truth is that the so-called 'covered' dumping ground is only surrounded by tin sheets. Garbage is being dumped under the open sky, and being located in a populated area, it is seriously polluting the village's environment and air quality.

Kurawar municipal council CMO Leeladhar Sen admits that garbage is being dumped on land allocated by the collector, but the municipal council currently does not have environmental clearance or related reports.

Environmentalists' Warning

Environmental activist and RTI activist Jaypal Singh Khinchi says that despite villagers' opposition, environmental pollution is being carried out by building a dumping ground in the pond's catchment area without environmental clearance. This will not only cause water pollution but also negatively affect aquatic life. He expresses determination to take this matter to the appropriate platform and file complaints against concerned officials.

Conclusion

This Rajgarh case shows how environmental rules and local community interests are being ignored in the name of waste management. Until such projects continue to run without proper environmental clearance, scientific waste management, and local community consent, not only will environmental damage continue but social unrest will also persist. This matter requires immediate intervention and alternative solutions.

Support usto keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Fishermen lose their livelihood due to Omkareshwar Floating Solar

Impact of climate change on fishermen's livelihood in Budhni

Inside Makeshift Fish Markets, While The Community Awaits Permanent Ones

Mahseer saviors struggle as conservation funds dry up

Stay connected with Ground Report for underreported environmental stories.

Follow us onX,Instagram, andFacebook; share your thoughts at [email protected]; subscribe to our weekly newsletter for deep dives from the margins; join ourWhatsApp communityfor real-time updates; and catch our video reports on YouTube.

Your support amplifies voices too often overlooked—thank you for being part of the movement.