Polluted Ganga water can affect health of crores of pilgrims visiting Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj: NGT

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal has observed that the health of crores of pilgrims visiting the Maha Kumbh fair will be impacted if effective steps are not taken to prevent the discharge of sewage into the Ganga in Prayagraj.

The 40-day Maha Kumbh Mela, expected to draw millions of devotees from across the globe, is scheduled to commence on January 14 with the Makar Sankranti 'snan' (holy bath) and will conclude on February 26 with the Mahashivratri snan.

The green body was hearing a plea claiming 50 drains were discharging sewage directly into river Ganga, in an eight-km stretch from Rasulabad in the city to the Sangam (confluence of river Ganga and Yamuna).

In September this year, the tribunal had formed a high-powered committee (HPC) under the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary and directed it to submit a report about the preventive measures by November 23.

In an order dated November 29, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The HPC has filed no such report nor any written request has been received from it expressing any difficulty in filing the report or seeking extension of time."

The bench also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel noted the submissions of the counsel for Uttar Pradesh, as per which, there was a typographical error in a communication sent to him by the chief secretary on November 28 about seeking an extension for filing the report.

"Even if we accept such a submission, we find that though the order was passed by the tribunal on September 23, 2024, yet it appears that till November 7, no effective action was taken by the HPC," the tribunal said noting the communication.

It underlined that the issue of river Ganga's pollution was a "time-sensitive matter".

"The issue relates to stopping the discharge of untreated sewage in river Ganga before the commencement of the Kumbh Mela. Crores of persons will be visiting the mela and their health and well-being will be affected if no effective steps are taken to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage in the river. We expect the HPC to be sensitive to this issue," the tribunal said.

It expressed dissatisfaction with the government counsel’s request seeking 15 days to submit the report.

"Counsel for the state of UP has submitted that the report has already been prepared and it has been placed before the chief secretary for appraisal and signature. If that is so, we failed to understand why 15 days have been sought for filing the report," the tribunal said.

"Considering the request made by the counsel, a week is granted to file the report," it added.

The NGT said though it was inclined to direct the personal presence of the principal secretary of the state’s environment department, it was restraining itself, considering the counsel’s assurance about "prompt action" and no delays in the future.

The matter has been posted on December 9 for further proceedings.

In the hearing dated July 1, the tribunal, noting a report by the UP Pollution Control Board, had observed, "The action taken report reflects that the water of the river in the relevant stretch is not of drinkable quality for 'achman' purposes." The plea has been filed by advocate Saurabh Tiwary.