The National Green Tribunal (NGT) warned of punitive action, including holding officials accountable, over the ongoing solid waste management crisis in Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district, calling out both gross environmental violations and lax enforcement by civic authorities.
The plea filed by the public action committee (PAC) said continued dumping of untreated municipal waste along the Hansla Nadi (or River Hansla), poses a significant threat to the local ecosystem and public health.
The Hansla Nadi is a historical drain flowing through Sirhind in the Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab and is famously associated with the Thanda Burj (cold tower), where Mata Gujri and the younger Sahibzadas were imprisoned.
In its proceedings on April 24, the NGT took note of an affidavit filed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), which detailed the imposition of an environmental compensation amounting to ₹1.29 crore on the Sirhind municipal council for violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The penalty includes ₹1.23 crore for non-compliance between July 2020 and September 2025, along with an additional ₹6 lakh for continued violations up to December 2025.
The PPCB informed the Tribunal that only ₹23 lakh has been recovered so far, leaving ₹1.06 crore outstanding. The NGT expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of recovery, observing that penalties lose their deterrent value if they are not enforced effectively. It directed senior officials from the PPCB and the municipal council to appear before it and explain the status of compliance and recovery.
The PPCB, on its part, has initiated a series of coercive measures, including issuing show-cause notices and writing to the Punjab government and Fatehgarh Sahib deputy commissioner to recover the pending amount as arrears of land revenue. However, officials acknowledged that progress on the ground has been uneven.
During the April 15 hearing, the municipal council submitted that approximately 70% of the legacy waste had been scientifically processed through bio-remediation and assured the Tribunal that the remaining waste would be cleared within a month. It also said that the reclaimed site would be converted into a green park for public use.
The PPCB, in fresh directions to the municipal council, mandated time-bound completion of bio-remediation, strict compliance with plastic and e-waste management norms, and submission of monthly progress reports. Additionally, the civic body has been asked to furnish a ₹10-lakh bank guarantee to ensure adherence to environmental regulations.
