Punjab is still struggling to clean its rivers and other water bodies, despite years of efforts by government agencies. According to a report submitted by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), 800 pollution sources across the state are still releasing untreated wastewater into rivers, drains and ponds.
The report shows that although some progress has been made, a large number of pollution sources continue to damage Punjab’s water bodies. Officials said that out of 1,574 identified pollution sources, only 774 have been closed, diverted for treatment or removed, while the remaining 800 still need action.
The report was submitted to the NGT as part of an ongoing case related to river pollution in Punjab. The tribunal had earlier directed the state government to explain how untreated wastewater flowing into rivers would be managed and to prepare a detailed action plan to improve the situation.
Environmental experts say the report highlights that Punjab still has a long way to go before its rivers become clean and safe again.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board submitted its latest status report on July 6 following directions issued by the National Green Tribunal.
The case was started by the NGT on its own after media reports in 2024 highlighted serious pollution in Punjab’s rivers and water bodies.
According to the report, 774 pollution sources have already been addressed.
These include 39 industrial units, 308 village wastewater outlets, 137 urban local body discharge points, 227 dairy waste outlets, 14 individual pollution sources, and 49 other sources.
Officials explained that some industries were permanently closed, while some pollution points were removed from the list because they were found to be duplicate entries.
In several cases, wastewater has now been redirected to sewage treatment plants (STPs), oxidation ponds, irrigation channels or other treatment systems instead of flowing directly into rivers.
However, the report also makes it clear that 800 pollution sources are still active.
These sources continue to release untreated wastewater into rivers, drains and ponds, affecting water quality and the environment.
The PPCB said that different government departments will need to work together to stop untreated wastewater from reaching natural water bodies.
Rajya Sabha MP and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal questioned the effectiveness of Punjab's pollution control efforts.
He said the government has spent a large amount of public money on setting up 168 water treatment plants, but many of these plants are either not working properly or are not operating at full capacity.
According to Seechewal, there should be greater accountability for officials responsible for maintaining these treatment plants.
He said that while the Punjab Pollution Control Board is active in issuing notices, stronger action is needed on the ground to ensure pollution is actually reduced.
The report says Punjab currently has two Priority-I polluted river stretches.
These are the Ghaggar River, from Mubarkpur to Sardulgarh, and the Sutlej River, from Ludhiana to Harike.
Officials noted that three other rivers—Sirsa, Swan and Kali Bein—were removed from the Central Pollution Control Board’s list of polluted river stretches in 2025 after improvements were recorded.
The Punjab government has prepared updated restoration plans for both the Ghaggar and Sutlej rivers, and these have been submitted to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Central Pollution Control Board.
However, pollution remains a serious challenge.
According to the report, the Ghaggar River receives wastewater through 13 major drains and 29 connected creeks.
Around 31 urban local bodies in the Ghaggar basin generate nearly 363 million litres of sewage every day.
Another 389 villages release about 99.43 million litres of wastewater daily.
Untreated sewage from towns and villages, along with industrial waste, continues to pollute the river.
The situation is even more difficult in the Sutlej River basin.
The PPCB identified 30 major drains and 84 smaller drains that carry wastewater into the river.
About 50 urban local bodies in the area generate nearly 1,236 million litres of sewage every day.
Although 37 towns have sewage treatment plants, 13 urban local bodies still do not have any treatment facilities, allowing untreated sewage to enter the river.
The report also highlights industrial pollution as another major concern.
The Sutlej basin has around 2,759 industries that generate water pollution, especially in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and nearby industrial towns.
One of the biggest pollution hotspots remains Buddha Nullah, a drain that has been heavily polluted for many years.
Officials have identified 156 wastewater outlets flowing into Buddha Nullah.
These include domestic sewage, industrial waste, dairy waste, village pond overflow, sewage treatment plants, common effluent treatment plants and stormwater drains.
Among these, 42 pollution outlets inside Ludhiana come from dairy complexes.
The report also notes that around 1,300 dairies in Ludhiana and Jalandhar produce nearly 900 tonnes of cow dung every day, along with large amounts of liquid waste.
Although common biogas plants and treatment facilities have been established, they struggle to handle the huge quantity of waste produced each day.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board told the NGT that work is continuing to improve sewage treatment, manage industrial waste and strengthen solid waste disposal across the state.
However, the latest report shows that more than half of the originally identified pollution sources are still affecting Punjab’s rivers.
Environmental experts believe that while progress has been made, much stronger implementation, better monitoring and cooperation between government departments will be needed to restore Punjab’s rivers and protect them from future pollution.
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