Acting on a complaint, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a joint committee to probe allegations of environmental violations by an industrial unit at Fatehgarh Chhanna Road at Dhaula village in Barnala district.The allegations include illegal felling of seven fully grown trees to create an access road, open burning of industrial waste, unauthorised groundwater extraction, discharge of untreated effluents and failure to develop a mandatory green belt.The tribunal noted that the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had already issued a show-cause notice to the unit in February this year, citing several violations, including open burning of waste and inadequate plantation.The NGT has directed a committee comprising representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Barnala and Deputy Commissioner Barnala to inspect the site and submit a status report within eight weeks. The Deputy Commissioner has been directed to act as a nodal agency.The matter will come up for hearing on October 30.


