The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday directed the completion of pending sewer infrastructure in Nayagaon within five months, warning that failure to meet the timeline would invite contempt proceedings against the Chief Executive Officer of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

The direction came from a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry while disposing of a petition concerning the lack of functional sewer connections in areas under the Nayagaon Municipal Council.

During the hearing, the Municipal Council submitted that an 18.5 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) had been installed and the main trunk sewer line — about 4,200 metres of the sanctioned 4,600 metres — had already been laid. The remaining stretch was stated to be nearing completion.

However, the Bench noted that while the main sewer line was in place, the branch lines required for connecting residential colonies and households had not yet been laid, rendering the system non-functional for end users.

Counsel for the Municipal Council argued that the work of laying branch lines fell within the domain of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board and cited ongoing efforts, including correspondence seeking technical inputs and planning details. It was also submitted that there had been no deliberate delay and that work was being carried out in phases.

The court, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of progress on household connectivity, observing that residents had been waiting for years despite partial completion of the infrastructure. The Bench made it clear that internal arrangements between the Municipal Council and the Board could not be used to shift responsibility.

“If it is a municipal function, the State remains accountable,” the Bench observed, adding that citizens could not be made to “run from one office to another”.

Rejecting requests for additional time beyond a reasonable limit, the court fixed a five-month deadline for making the sewer network fully functional, including the laying of branch lines.

The Bench further ordered that in case of non-compliance, the CEO of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board would be held responsible and liable for contempt of court.

The petition was disposed of with liberty to affected residents to approach the court again if the directions are not implemented within the stipulated period.