High faecal coliform levels in Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh: CPCB report to NGT

The bench noted that the CPCB had filed a report dated February 3, pointing out certain non-compliances or violations.

Prayagraj: The quality of Ganga and Yamuna water at the Mahakumbh is not of bathing quality with very high level of faecal coliform, an outcome of sewage contamination of the rivers, the Central Pollution Control Board has informed the National Green Tribunal, after examining the water qualities of the two rivers for two continuous weeks.

Faecal coliform bacteria, such as E.coli, are found in excreta that contaminates water through untreated sewage. The higher the level, the higher is the presence of disease-causing pathogens in water.

The level of such coliform in the Ganga at Sangam was 49,000 MPN (most probable number) per 100 ml on January 20 whereas it was 33,000 at Yamuna on the same day before the confluence at Sangam on the same day.

According to the CPCB standards, the permissible limit of faecal coliform is 2500 MPN/100 ml while the desirable level is 500 MPN/100 ml.

“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,” the CPCB said in its report to the NGT.

The readings were taken on multiple days in two successive weeks beginning on January 12 and January 19.

In several other places on different days in January, the coliform levels were as high as 33,000 MPN (Yamuna-Old Naini bridge and Ganga-Deeha Ghat); 23,000 MPN (Ganga-Shringverpur Ghat and Yamuna-Old Naini Bridge) and 13,000 MPN (Ganga-before Shastri Bridge, near Nag Vasuki Mandir).

In 33 days between January 13 and February 16, over 52 crore pilgrims have visited Prayagraj and taken the holy dip. The number of pilgrims is set to rise further on the occasion of Maha Shivratri on Feb 26.

A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel heard the issue of preventing sewage discharge into the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj on Monday.

The bench noted that while the CPCB filed a report dated February 3, pointing out certain non-compliances or violations, the UP Pollution Control Board had not complied with the tribunal's earlier direction to file a comprehensive action taken report.

The UP government officials claim that they are doing their best to make the Kumbh the cleanest ever. “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,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh told reporters here on Sunday.

The official said since 2019 the UP government has been making a concerted effort to clean up the Kumbh and improved sanitation was a distinct hall mark of the Maha Kumbh.

Independent experts, however, didn’t agree with such claims. “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 quantity,” water conservationist Rajendra Singh, also known as the waterman of India, told DH.