In Bihar, the water from the Ganga has not conformed to faecal coliform levels across 34 sampling sites since 2020-21, the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has submitted to the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT’s) principal bench in an ongoing matter on the river’s water quality in the state. The high levels of faecal coliform indicate high bacterial load and pollution that makes the water unfit for drinking and bathing, as per the pollution watchdog Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB’s) standards. The BSPCB’s submissions come a month after the CPCB had submitted to the NGT during the Mahakumbh that faecal coliform levels in Ganga river’s water at Sangam in Prayagraj were much higher than permissible limits, making it unfit for bathing. The CPCB’s report had sparked a row as crores had taken a dip in the river. The BSPCB stated in its affidavit dated March 17 that at sites such as Gaighat in Patna, in the year 2020-21, the coliform levels were of 1,60,000 most probable number (MPN) of microorganisms per 100 millilitres of a sample, which was the highest level in the last four years. This was nearly 300 times the lower prescribed limit of 500 MPN/100 ml for bathing purposes; 2,500 MPN/100 ml is the upper limit. For drinking purposes, the prescribed standard is 5,000 or less MPN/100 ml after conventional treatment and disinfection. The coliform levels at sites like Gaighat have improved to 20,000 MPN/100 ml, but are still well above prescribed standards. The BSPCB further stated that even though pH or alkalinity and oxygen levels in the river were conforming with the prescribed standards laid down by the Union Environment Ministry, the total coliform and faecal coliform were found beyond standards. “The TC and FC (Total Coliform and Faecal Coliform) is beyond the prescribed standards as the household sewage generated in the concerned urban areas is being discharged into river Ganga without any prior treatment. In this connection, STP (sewage treatment plant) is being constructed in different cities in Bihar,” the BSPCB’s affidavit stated. The BSPCB’s affidavit was filed on the directions of the principal bench of NGT headed by chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, which is hearing a suo moto matter based on news reports that the Ganga’s water is unfit for bathing in Bihar. Though the matter came up for hearing on Monday, no directions were passed. Regarding the inadequate number of STPs, the BSPCB submitted to NGT that it was constructing 4 STPs in Patna, and one each in Barh, Munger, Sonpur, Sultanpur, Maner, Naugachhia, Chapra, Danapur and Phulwari Sharif. Previously, the NGT had noted in its orders on the matter that few STPs were constructed and operational in the state and the river quality was meeting bathing criteria only in some respects. It had also pulled up the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for not taking strict action regarding the state of water quality and reminded it of the powers it had. The NMCG had earlier submitted that estimated sewage generation in the state was 1,100 million litres per day and STPs constructed could only meet the requirement of 343 million litres per day. The NGT bench had noted that there was a gap of more than 750 million litres per day and that this volume of sewage was flowing into the river untreated.
