India's Waste-to-Energy Plant Collapse Kills Nine as NGT Steps In

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has intervened after a building collapse at a waste-to-energy facility in Moshi, Pune, killed nine workers, scheduling a hearing for July 13, 2026. The judicial…

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has intervened after a building collapse at a waste-to-energy facility in Moshi, Pune, killed nine workers, scheduling a hearing for July 13, 2026. The judicial action follows the recovery of the final missing victim on July 12, bringing the search operation to a close and raising urgent questions about safety compliance at industrial waste sites across India.

Collapse Triggered by Oversized Garbage Mound

Rescue operations at the Antony waste-to-energy plant in Moshi ended on July 12 after the body of Waman Kasbe was recovered from the debris. The disaster occurred on July 8 when a garbage mound, estimated at 25 to 30 metres in height, dislodged following heavy rainfall and collapsed onto the site's administrative building.

Local authorities and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi have issued show-cause notices to both the civic body's environment department and Antony Waste Handling Cell Ltd. The notices demand explanations regarding safety compliance and permissions, as opposition leaders allege the height of the garbage mound exceeded the established 20-metre safety guideline.

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While 14 individuals were successfully rescued from the debris, nine workers lost their lives. Antony Waste Group has announced a compensation package of Rs 25 lakh for each victim's family. Operations at the facility remain suspended pending further safety evaluations.

Separate Construction Disasters Hit Kerala and Delhi

The conclusion of the Moshi search coincided with the recovery of the final victim at a separate construction disaster in Wayanad, Kerala. On July 12, rescue teams found the body of Bikram Rana, a construction manager for Dilip Buildcon Ltd, ending a six-day search at the Anakkampoyil-Meppadi twin-tube tunnel site.

The death toll for the Wayanad project reached eight following a landslide on July 7. In northern India, emergency services also responded to a roof collapse at an under-construction building in Tilak Nagar, west Delhi, on July 10. That incident resulted in the death of a 55-year-old labourer, Mohammad Bhola, and led to a First Information Report being filed against the property owner.

Further injuries were reported in Noida on July 12, where three labourers were hurt when a portion of a building in Sector 33 collapsed during construction.

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International Courts Impose Fines and Scrutiny

The recent wave of accidents has renewed focus on judicial penalties for historical safety breaches. In Ireland, the Wicklow Circuit Court on July 3 fined Glenveagh Contracting Limited €125,000 and KDK Scaffolding Limited €65,000. The fines stemmed from a 2019 incident in Greystones where a worker died after falling from scaffolding that lacked adequate edge protection. Both firms pleaded guilty to breaches of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

In Canada, the International Union of Operating Engineers used the five-year anniversary of the July 12, 2021, Kelowna crane collapse to renew calls for criminal charges. Although the RCMP recommended criminal negligence charges in early 2024, the B.C. Prosecution Service has yet to reach a decision.

UK Regulators Issue Warnings on Small Sites

British regulators have also issued recent warnings and penalties. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Chief Inspector Peter Baker recently reported that nearly half of small refurbishment sites inspected failed to meet safety standards. In a separate enforcement action, Samson Containers Ltd in Lancashire was fined £30,000 for failing to protect workers from carcinogenic welding fumes, despite receiving multiple warnings in 2024 and 2025.