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NGT orders closure of 13 stone crushers in Punjab’s Shivalik hills
NGT directed the recovery of over Rs 180 crore as environmental compensation for violations of environmental laws.
The NGT judgment, delivered on February 4, 2026, disposes of Original Application No. 624/2023, which the Tribunal had taken up suo motu following media reports highlighting rampant illegal mining in the region. The proceedings were triggered by a September 2023 investigative report published in media.(File Photo)
In a landmark ruling aimed at halting ecological degradation in Punjab’s fragile Shivalik belt, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the closure of 13 stone crushing units in Hoshiarpur and Rupnagar districts and directed the recovery of over Rs 180 crore as environmental compensation for violations of environmental laws.
The judgment, delivered on February 4, 2026, disposes of Original Application No. 624/2023, which the Tribunal had taken up suo motu following media reports highlighting rampant illegal mining in the region. The proceedings were triggered by a September 2023 investigative report published in media.
The report detailed how hills in the Beet area of Garhshankar (Hoshiarpur) and the Kheda Kalmot cluster (Rupnagar) were allegedly being leveled, with some formations reportedly flattened up to 200 feet. Affected villages included Kalewal-Beet, Khuralgarh Sahib and Algran.
The Shivalik range forms Punjab’s primary groundwater recharge zone and serves as a natural barrier against flash floods. Environmental experts have long warned that deep excavation in this geologically fragile sub-mountainous terrain can destabilize slopes, increase erosion and compromise long-term water security.
During the course of hearings, the Tribunal expressed dissatisfaction over what it termed “vague” and non-specific reports submitted by authorities. It subsequently directed the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to conduct inspections, identify violators and assess environmental damages.
Jaskirat Singh of Public Action Committee, Mattewara a group that has fought many environment battles of Punjab and recently launched Shivalik Morcha to protect Shivalik Hills, said that it is a landmark order to save the Shivalik hills. he said that the order is of February 4, but it has been uploaded just a couple of days back with complete information.
Following inspections, the PPCB assessed environmental compensation exceeding ₹180 crore against 13 stone crushing units found to be operating in violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. Some of these stone crushers have even facing environmental compensation recovery up to Rs 85 crore, Rs 24 crore, Rs 18 crore, Rs 14 crore, Rs 7 crore, Rs 6 crore.
The Tribunal ordered that all 13 units shall remain closed, Environmental compensation must be recovered as per law.L, Criminal complaints already filed against violators must be pursued And the source of raw materials for other crusher units in the area must be verified.
The bench, headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, has given the PPCB a strict 90-day timeline to complete verification of raw material sourcing under the Punjab Regulation of Crusher Units Act, 2025 and the Punjab State Minor Mineral Policy, 2025.
A compliance report is to be filed before the Tribunal by May 2026.
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“The ruling is being viewed as a significant intervention in protecting the Shivalik ecosystem, which plays a critical role in groundwater recharge and climate resilience in Punjab’s plains. While the ₹180 crore compensation represents one of the largest environmental penalty assessments in the state, the effectiveness of the order will ultimately depend on timely recovery of the fines and strict enforcement of closure directions,” said Jaskirat.
For Punjab’s Shivaliks—long described as the state’s natural shield.
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