The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Tuesday informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the water quality of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers at the Maha Kumbh is not suitable for bathing due to high levels of faecal coliform contamination, primarily caused by sewage discharge.
The CPCB monitored the water quality of both rivers for two consecutive weeks and found high levels of faecal coliform bacteria, such as E. coli, which originate from human and animal excreta.
The permissible limit for faecal coliform in river water is 2,500 most probable number (MPN) per 100 millilitres, while the desirable level is 500 MPN/100 ml. However, on January 20, the coliform count in the Ganga at Sangam was recorded at 49,000 MPN/100 ml, while the Yamuna before its confluence at Sangam had a count of 33,000 MPN/100 ml.
The CPCB report submitted to the NGT stated, “River water quality was not conforming with the primary water quality for bathing with reference to faecal coliform at all the monitored locations on various occasions. Huge number of people taking bath at Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh mela in the river including auspicious bathing days which eventually leads to increase in faecal concentration.”
Readings taken on multiple days between January 12 and 19 at different locations showed similarly high contamination levels. At Yamuna-Old Naini Bridge and Ganga-Deeha Ghat, coliform levels were recorded at 33,000 MPN/100 ml.
At Ganga-Shringverpur Ghat and Yamuna-Old Naini Bridge, it was 23,000 MPN/100 ml, while near Shastri Bridge, close to Nag Vasuki Mandir, the level was 13,000 MPN/100 ml.
Between January 13 and February 16, more than 520 million pilgrims have visited Prayagraj to take a holy dip in the rivers. The number is expected to increase further on February 26, the occasion of Maha Shivratri.
The issue of sewage discharge into the Ganga and Yamuna was heard by an NGT bench comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal, and Expert Member A Senthil Vel on Monday.
The tribunal noted that while the CPCB had submitted a report on February 3 pointing out non-compliances and violations, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board had yet to comply with an earlier directive to file a comprehensive action taken report.
Uttar Pradesh government officials maintained that they were making efforts to ensure cleanliness at the Kumbh.
Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh told a section of the media, “Over 1.5 lakh toilets have been installed along the entire 12 km Kumbh stretch, each fitted with an underground tank. The tanks are emptied daily, and the faecal sludge is taken to two treatment plants.”
He added that the state government had been working on sanitation improvements since 2019, making cleanliness a key feature of the Maha Kumbh.
However, independent experts challenged these claims.
Speaking to a news outlet, Water conservationist Rajendra Singh, known as the ‘Waterman of India’, said, “While crores of people do come to the Maha Kumbh because of their faith and belief, the Ganga has substantially lost its purity and pristine quality.”
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