NGT fines Punjab pharmaceutical unit Rs 5 crore for environmental violations

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed an interim fine of Rs 5 crore on a Punjab-based pharmaceutical company for violating environmental regulations. The tribunal has criticized the Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PSPCB) for its failure to enforce environmental laws effectively.

The NGT has ordered the PSPCB to determine the final compensation amount and initiate criminal proceedings against the company, Nectar Life Sciences Limited, located in Haibatpur village, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district. The case stems from allegations that the firm illegally discharged heavily polluted chemical effluents into agricultural fields, damaging crops and farmland.

In its ruling, an NGT bench chaired by Justice Prakash Srivastava stated, “The industry has failed to comply with environmental laws, particularly the Water Act and its regulations, and has not achieved the status of zero liquid discharge to date.”

Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Afroz Ahmed further highlighted the PSPCB’s shortcomings, noting that the board had failed to execute its responsibilities properly. They directed the PSPCB to take strict action against the pharmaceutical unit.