Following NGT Directives, Punjab Govt Fixes Responsibility for Contaminated Water Supply
To provide a permanent solution, the government has sanctioned a Rs 178 crore project under AMRUT 2.0
Following NGT Directives, Punjab Govt Fixes Responsibility for Contaminated Water Supply
The Punjab Government has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that infrastructure decay is the primary cause of contaminated drinking water in the Zirakpur–Banur–Rajpura belt. In a submission to an NGT bench comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. A. Senthil Vel, the state confirmed that show-cause notices have been issued to officials for negligence and dereliction of duty.
According to the Chief Secretary, the root cause in Rajpura is a nearly 40-year-old water supply network laid at the same depth as sewerage lines. During heavy rainfall, the absence of a separate stormwater system allows wastewater to mix with drinking water through these ageing pipes.
While the state maintained that the issue stems from infrastructural decay rather than individual lapses, it has nonetheless initiated accountability measures following the NGT’s November 2025 directive to fix responsibility.
To provide a permanent solution, the government has sanctioned a Rs 178 crore project under AMRUT 2.0, with Rs 33.65 crore approved for the first phase. This involves replacing 57 km of old pipelines and approximately 9,883 household connections in vulnerable areas like Old Rajpura and Dalima Vihar.
The state confirmed that while the project is targeted for completion by December 2026, potable water is currently being supplied via tankers as an immediate relief measure.
Source: Times of India