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

Environmental regulations are being openly flouted in Rajgarh district under the guise of waste management. A waste dumping ground built near a pond in Chandbadli village is not only polluting water sources but also affecting the lives of the local community.

The Problem

The controversy has taken deep roots in Chandbadli village, which falls under Nipniya Chetan Gram Panchayat in Narsinghgarh block. Urban waste is now being dumped on land that was previously allocated to Kurawar Municipal Council by district officials. The main issue 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 establishing waste dumping grounds, such facilities should be built away from populated areas and in locations 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 court. However, their case was dismissed. According to villagers’ lawyer Dinesh Sharma, he had advised them to appeal to the High Court at that time, but for some reasons, the villagers did not proceed in that direction.

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 continuously declining, and residents are facing serious problems.

Community Concerns

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

Dinesh Meena from nearby Manpura village has different concerns. He says 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 points out that the entire village drinks water from a tube well located near this pond. Their water sources will be completely destroyed by water mixed with garbage. Not only Chandbadli but all surrounding villages are involved in this protest.

Administrative Indifference

Gram 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 work has been done, which is beyond understanding.

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

The Reality is Different

However, the reality 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’s CMO Liladhar Sen admits that garbage is being dumped on land allocated by the Collector, but environmental clearance or related reports are currently not available with the municipal council.

Environmentalists’ Warning

Environmental activist and RTI activist Jaypal Singh Khinchi says that despite villagers’ opposition, environmental pollution is being caused by building a dumping ground in the pond’s catchment area without environmental clearance. This will not only cause water pollution but also negatively impact aquatic life. He expresses determination to take this matter to the appropriate forum and complain to relevant officials.

Historical Significance of the Pond

The village’s eldest resident Asim Patel, through young Ansar Khan, explains that this ‘big pond’ located between Manpura and Chandbadli was built in an era when machinery was not available and donkeys and mules were used for work. It is the main source of agriculture and drinking water for 4-5 surrounding villages.

A 3-kilometer-long canal has been drawn from the pond for irrigation, which provides water 4-5 times for rabi crops. For drinking water, tube wells have been dug near the pond, whose water goes into tanks and is supplied to the village. Additionally, local fish farmers also use this pond.

Kurawar Municipality engineer Aman Mudgal explains that 3 tons of garbage is generated daily from the urban area, which sometimes reaches 5 tons. Earlier, this garbage was dumped in the middle of the city, then moved to one side of the city. Currently, it is being dumped on Chand Badli land located about 5 kilometers away, allocated by the government. He mentioned that the old dumping ground located in the middle of the city has been cleaned up.

Conclusion

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

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