The National Green Tribunal ordered recovery of Rs six point six million (mn) from the Kurali Municipal Council after finding outstanding environmental compensation linked to breaches of solid waste management obligations. The Punjab Pollution Control Board had told the tribunal that compensation totalling Rs eight point six mn had been imposed for violations during the period from July 2020 to December 2025 but the council had deposited only Rs two mn. The tribunal directed the board to take steps to recover the unpaid sum and to proceed with enforcement measures already under way.

The proposed landfill had been denied approval by the pollution control board because the site was located less than 200 metre from a highway and a water source, which rendered it inconsistent with applicable requirements under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Following that rejection the municipal council closed the existing landfill and issued public notices seeking a new location that would comply with the rules. The compliance report before the tribunal set out successive compensation orders covering different intervals between July 2020 and December 2025.

The board informed the tribunal that it was preparing to file a complaint before the adjudicating officer against the municipal council and its executive officer for breaches of the rules and for failure to meet prior directions. Apart from directing recovery of the pending compensation the tribunal asked the board to verify whether any further violations occurred after the periods for which compensation had already been imposed. The board was instructed to impose additional environmental compensation if subsequent breaches were identified.

The order seeks to ensure accountability for municipal waste management and to prompt compliance with statutory siting criteria and operational obligations. The tribunal gave the pollution control board responsibility for executing the recovery while maintaining oversight of ongoing enforcement actions. The outcome underscores regulatory attention to municipal compliance under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.