Ensure Ganga water is of drinking and bathing quality during Maha Kumbh: NGT

The Maha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years, will begin in Prayagraj on January 13 and end on February 26.

“During the Maha Kumbh in order to have a better monitoring mechanism and to ensure that on account of the unwanted flow of untreated sewage in River Ganga and Yamuna, the pilgrims who come for holy bath may not suffer, the CPCB and UPPCB (Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board) will increase their monitoring points and frequency of monitoring on River Ganga and Yamuna,” the NGT’s order stated.

The order further went on to state that CPCB and UPPCB have to collect water samples from Ganga and Yamuna rivers at least twice a week from the monitoring points and they would have to display analysis reports on their website. During the Maha Kumbh and after it is over, the authorities have also been directed to take steps for effective disposal of the sludge generated in the sewage treatment plants (STPs) and deposited in geo-tubes, by following requisite environmental norms.

Before the NGT passed the order, the Uttar Pradesh government was asked to place on record its comprehensive sewage management plan to keep up with the rise in sewage load during Maha Kumbh 2025. The projected flow of sewage is likely to be around 519.09 million litres per day (MLD), of which nearly 65 per cent would be through drains and the rest through sewer networks, as per the Uttar Pradesh environment department.

Of the 519.09 MLD projected sewage flow, 450.58 MLD would be treated at existing STPs while 68.41 MLD would be treated on-site, the UP government submitted to the green court. A total of 81 drains join the Ganga and Yamuna rivers out of which 37 drains are tapped into existing STPs while 44 drains are untapped, as per data submitted by the UP government.