The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken cognisance of allegations of pollution in the Sutlej River and Sirhind Canal at Ropar, particularly the alleged release of industrial waste that had accumulated at the Ropar Headworks in August this year. The NGT has sought a response to allegations regarding the continued discharge of untreated sewage from Ropar town into the two water bodies.The Principal Bench of the NGT, headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad, issued notice on September 24 to the Punjab government and other respondents on an application filed by Gurpartap Singh Gill, a resident of Ropar.The Tribunal has listed the matter for hearing on December 2 along with another case concerning pollution allegedly caused by pharmaceutical industries in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial belt.A major allegation in the petition is that a large quantity of solid, chemical and biomedical waste, allegedly originating from the BBN industrial area of Himachal Pradesh, accumulated at the Ropar Headworks in August. Instead of removing the material for proper disposal and scientific sampling, the waste was allegedly allowed to pass downstream after the gates of the headworks were opened, the complainant has alleged.The petition has sought an inquiry into who ordered the opening of the Ropar Headworks gates and under what circumstances the accumulated waste was released into the Sirhind Canal.According to the application, the accumulated material had been photographed and an FIR was registered on August 23 against unidentified industrial units in the Baddi-Nalagarh area. However, the following day, the accumulated waste and polluted material were allegedly released downstream. The petition refers to the Executive Engineer, Ropar Headworks, as having confirmed the release.The applicant has therefore sought the preservation and production of gate operation records, orders, logbooks, CCTV footage and other relevant official records to establish the circumstances surrounding the opening of the gates.The Sirhind Canal originates from the Ropar Headworks and carries Sutlej water towards the Malwa region through various canal systems. The water is used for drinking, livestock and irrigation purposes across several districts. The petition alleges that releasing the material downstream effectively shifted the pollution problem instead of containing it and subjecting it to scientific examination.The application has also raised concerns over the alleged discharge of untreated or inadequately treated sewage from Ropar town into the Sutlej and Sirhind Canal.The complainant has alleged that, at four locations in Ropar—including the Haveli Kalan Sewage Treatment Plant, an open effluent channel near Bara Phool village, an outfall towards the Sutlej near the IIT Ropar road, and a discharge point near Sant Nirankari Satsang Bhawan/Basant Nagar—untreated waste was being released directly into the Sutlej.The complainant has demanded a joint inspection led by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), along with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) and an independent expert institution such as IIT Ropar, into the pollution allegedly being released into the Sutlej.The plea also seeks recovery of environmental compensation from those found responsible and the submission of periodic compliance reports before the Tribunal.