The National Green Tribunal (NGT) reprimanded Punjab for failing to comply with its July 18, 2023 order to replace contaminated water lines and provide potable water within six months. More than 28 months later, residents of the Zirakpur-Banur-Rajpura belt still report contaminated water and illness. The tribunal ordered the municipal councils of Rajpura, Banur and Zirakpur to provide daily potable water by tanker in affected areas until pipeline replacement is complete.

The NGT directed Punjab’s chief secretary to intervene, assign responsibility and take disciplinary action against those responsible, and submit a personal affidavit with an action-taken report within eight weeks. The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Rajpura municipal council were criticised for blaming each other. Their director and Rajpura’s executive officer must appear virtually at the next hearing on February 2, 2026.

Advocate and social worker Sunaina filed the petition in 2022, seeking clean water and a plan to identify and address contamination. Rajpura resident Mukesh Singla told the tribunal at a November 18 hearing that conditions remained unchanged.