Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) appears to have turned the eco-sensitive Gorewada forest belt into an informal dumping site for materials seized during anti-encroachment drives, triggering concern among residents and environmental activists.The controversy comes at a time when the civic body has intensified anti-encroachment operations across the city. Large quantities of confiscated material — including illegal hoardings, roadside stalls, tin sheds, kiosks, iron frames, and scrap — are being removed from public spaces. However, instead of being scientifically processed or disposed of, much of the waste is allegedly being dumped near the Gorewada forest and lake periphery.A ground visit by TOI found heaps of debris, torn flex banners, rusted metal structures, plastic waste, damaged kiosks, construction debris, and discarded furniture scattered across open land near the forest. In several spots, the waste lay dangerously close to dense vegetation and walking tracks frequented by residents. Some of the material appeared to have remained there for days, raising fears of soil contamination and ecological degradation.The issue is more significant because the NMC’s public health engineering department already faces allegations of releasing untreated sewage into Gorewada Lake, further intensifying scrutiny of the corporation’s environmental management practices.Congress corporator Shailesh Pande has submitted a memorandum to municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar, objecting to the dumping activity. He warned that continued disposal of waste in the area could severely damage the fragile ecosystem surrounding Gorewada. The memorandum noted that the forest patch serves as a habitat for wild animals and is also frequented daily by walkers and nature enthusiasts.Environmental experts cautioned that non-biodegradable waste, such as plastic and flex material, could harm local biodiversity and eventually contaminate water bodies during the monsoon. Activists also fear the dumping may encourage further illegal disposal of garbage, gradually turning the forest edge into a permanent waste yard.Civic activists argue that while the corporation publicly promotes lake conservation and cleanliness campaigns, conditions around Gorewada reflect poor planning and lack of accountability.TOI attempted to contact municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar for comment, but he was unavailable.Residents have demanded immediate removal of the dumped material, stricter monitoring of forest-edge areas and a scientific disposal mechanism for waste generated during anti-encroachment drives to prevent lasting damage to one of Nagpur’s key ecological zones.
