Centre assures Ganga water remained 'within safe limits to bathe' after Maha Kumbh

New Delhi: The water quality of the Ganga river remained within the permissible limits for primary bathing standards both during and after the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj, the Jal Shakti ministry said on Thursday.

The monitoring conducted at eight key locations by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), including Shringverpur Ghat, Sangam, and Deeha Ghat, showed that parameters like pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Faecal Coliform (FC) were well within the acceptable limits throughout religious festivities, the Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The data was collected between January 12 and February 20, 2025, covering the Amrit Snan days and adjoining periods.

The CPCB increased its monitoring from five to eight locations midway through the period to ensure broader coverage.

According to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the positive results reflect the effectiveness of the sanitation and wastewater management systems implemented during the Mela.

The sanitation plan developed by the Prayagraj Mela Authority included temporary drainage systems spanning 250 km, the use of bioremediation ponds, and the installation of temporary sewage and faecal sludge treatment plants.

After the event, these systems were dismantled and stored for future use, while disinfection measures ensured hygienic site closure, Choudhary said.

The ministry also stated that under the Namami Gange Programme, 502 projects have been sanctioned with 323 completed, 150 under implementation, and 29 in the tendering stage.

The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), which conducted a third-party appraisal, found that the programme has made substantial progress in reducing pollution, improving river flow, and engaging local communities, the MoS said.