The Tribune Impact: NGT takes suo motu cognisance of report on Malwa water crisis

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a news report published in The Tribune, titled “Explainer: Why Malwa is facing polluted water crisis”, on May 1 this year.

Acknowledging the seriousness of the issue, the Principal Bench of the NGT – comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad – issued notices to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), and the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation (Punjab), directing them to file detailed affidavits at least one week before the next hearing date, scheduled for September 18.

The article highlighted the alarming deterioration in water quality across Punjab’s Malwa region, particularly in canals running through Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar, and Fazilka districts in the south-western part of the state, due to the inflow of contaminated water.

The situation had arisen due to polluted water entering the Sirhind Feeder Canal from the Harike Barrage. The Harike Barrage is located at the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers.

However, the Sutlej is polluted by the Buddha Nullah, which flows through the industrial town of Ludhiana and carries untreated wastewater.

Bathinda