NGT slams UPPCB for submitting old water sample amid Maha Kumbh mela

Toxic waters: The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board had defended the water quality and said that the Ganga and Yamuna rivers met the required standards for bathing, except at one bridge

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has criticised the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) for submitting old water sample reports from the Sangam in Prayagraj. This comes after a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report found high levels of faecal coliform bacteria in the water. This is serious, as millions of devotees are taking a holy dip at the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela daily. 

 

However, the UPPCB has defended the water quality and said that the Ganga and Yamuna rivers met the required standards for bathing, except at one bridge. 

 

In response, the NGT pulled the UPPCB and pointed out that the samples in the UPPCB report were taken on January 12, before the Maha Kumbh began. “Why have you filed such a huge document then? To waste our time?” the tribunal asked.

 

 

The Additional Advocate General who was representing the UPPCB, assured the tribunal that recent water samples were available and would be submitted within a week along with an action-taken report. “For each deviation, monitoring and corrective action is going on,” the state government stated.

 

The Uttar Pradesh government also said that the CPCB report would be thoroughly examined and necessary action would be taken. However, the NGT firmly remarked, “Pollution at any point in the river is pollution.

 

Faecal bacteria controversy

 

A CPCB report highlighted that water at multiple locations in Prayagraj did not meet the primary standards for bathing due to high levels of faecal coliform, a sign of sewage contamination. The report stated that on several occasions, the water failed to meet bathing standards.

 

During the February 17 hearing, the NGT observed that the UPPCB had not followed its earlier directive to submit a comprehensive action-taken report. The tribunal noted that the board had only submitted a covering letter and certain test reports, which still showed high levels of faecal bacteria at various locations.

 

Despite this, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dismissed the reports of poor water quality as opposition propaganda. He claimed the water during the Maha Kumbh was fit for bathing and even for ‘aachman’ (drinking holy water).

 

National Green Tribunal’s stand

The NGT questioned the UPPCB for submitting a report based on water samples taken before the Maha Kumbh began. “What sort of report is this? There is no information on faecal coliform in these 250 pages,” the tribunal remarked.

 

A bench of the NGT, led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, along with Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel, is reviewing a plea on the water quality of the Ganga and Yamuna at Prayagraj.

 

The CPCB report, quoted in the NGT’s February 17 order, stated, “River water quality was not conforming with the primary water quality for bathing with respect to fecal coliform (FC) at all the monitored locations on various occasions. Huge number of people taking bath at Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh Mela in river including auspicious bathing days which eventually leads to increase in fecal concentration.”

 

The UPPCB has now informed the court that it has the latest water quality reports. The NGT has directed the board to submit them within a week, and the next hearing is scheduled for February 28.