Chandigarh, Sept. 11 -- Coming down heavily on the district administration, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has summoned the Sangrur deputy commissioner to personally appear before it on November 18 amid escalating concerns over systemic waste-management failures, an unpaid Rs.84-lakh environmental fine, and the illegal operation of a local dumpsite.

The principal bench, headed by NGT chairperson justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad, expressed displeasure over what it viewed as repeated regulatory and compliance failures. The proceedings stem from an application filed by Sangrur-based advocate Kamal Anand, who raised concerns over municipal solid-waste management and environmental degradation in the city.

The appl...