NEW DELHI, May 23: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated proceedings on its own in response to the escalating water pollution and supply crisis in Punjab’s Malwa region, issuing notices to key environmental and water authorities.
Taking cognisance of the worsening condition, the NGT’s Principal Bench—comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and Expert Member Dr. Afroz Ahmad—has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), and the Punjab Department of Water Supply and Sanitation to submit comprehensive affidavits at least a week before the next hearing, set for September 18.
The tribunal raised concern over the inflow of contaminated water affecting canal systems across Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar, and Fazilka districts. These areas, forming part of Punjab’s Malwa belt, are witnessing a sharp decline in water quality.
According to findings reviewed by the NGT, the root of the problem lies in polluted discharges entering the Sirhind Feeder Canal via the Harike Barrage, a crucial junction where the Sutlej and Beas rivers converge.
The pollution, the tribunal noted, stems largely from the Buddha Nullah—an urban stream that carries untreated industrial effluents through Ludhiana before merging into the Sutlej. The untreated wastewater has significantly deteriorated the quality of river water, subsequently affecting canals that rely on it.
“This is not a localised issue but one that impacts thousands of residents depending on these water sources,” the Bench observed during the proceedings.
The tribunal’s intervention follows a growing outcry from affected communities and environmental groups over the long-standing contamination of water resources in the region.
Read more: Punjab Rolls Out Malwa Canal Project to Tackle Water Crisis
