Amid the continuing Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has knowledgeable the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that a level of faecal coliform, an indicator of sewage infection, turned into determined in the river water in which Kumbh Mela pilgrims bath.
The file filed with the aid of the CPCB earlier than the NGT’s Principal Bench discovered that the fecal coliform ranges detected make the river water incorrect for bathing. With more pilgrims thronging to the spiritual festival and taking dips in the river, the fecal concentration within the water will have exceptional upward thrust, the document stated.
“River water first-rate became not conforming with the number one water outstanding for bathing W.R.T. Faecal Coliform (FC) at all the monitored locations on numerous activities. The huge extensive form of people taking bath at Prayagraj sooner or later of Maha Kumbh Mela in the river together with auspicious bathing days which eventually outcomes in growth in fecal awareness,” the document stated.
An order exceeded through a Bench of Chairperson, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal, and Expert Member Dr. A Senthil Vel further recorded that the CPCB’s file states that the biochemical oxygen call for, which additionally suggests river water exquisite, did not comply with the requirements required for bathing during checks carried out in January.
“With admire to Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), river water ended up not conforming with the washing requirements for the duration of monitoring completed on 12-thirteen January 2025 at a maximum of the locations; however after that, natural pollution (in terms of BOD) started out to lower due to freshwater intrusion at upstream places. After thirteenth January 2025, river water top-notch conforming the washing standards W.R.T. BOD except Lord Curzon bridge on river Ganga on nineteenth January 2025,” the CPCB report said.
The Kumbh Mela is hung on the confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna in Prayagraj.
The CPCB submitted its report on a case elevating grievances regarding the notable of the waters in every river. The case moreover deals with allegations that untreated sewage modified into being discharged through drains into the 2 rivers for the duration of the Magh Mela and Kumbh Mela.
The NGT had previously directed the CPCB and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UP PCB) to increase the number of tracking points and sorting out frequency at a few stages within the Maha Kumbh. The Boards had been also directed to document reports of their findings earlier than the NGT.
While the CPCB complied with this order, the NGT cited that the UP PCB had now not filed any motion taken record as directed. However, sure water test evaluations filed through the Central Laboratory of the UP PCB stated that high tiers of faecal and standard coliform had been located in diverse locations.
On February 17, the NGT allowed a request through the advocate for the State of UP for a day’s time to have a look at the document and document a response.
It also directed the Member Secretary, UP PCB, and the concerned State Authority responsible for preserving the water first-rate in Ganga at Prayagraj, to seem in reality in the course of the following attention to that is scheduled for February 19.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has filed a document in advance of the National Green Tribunal’s Principal Bench revealing findings concerning the river water first rate at Prayagraj (UP) in some unspecified time in the future of the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.
It said that excessive degrees of faecal coliform (mixing of human or cattle excreta) have been observed in its river water attempting out at locations wherein people from across the kingdom are taking a dip for the duration of the Maha Kumbh.
The CPCB’s record highlights that the river water didn’t meet the primary water satisfactory necessities for bathing, in particular regarding faecal coliform (FC) stages, at all monitored locations in some unspecified time in the future of the event.
“River water excellent have become not conforming with the primary water brilliant for bathing W.R.T. Fecal Coliform (FC) at all the monitored places on various sports. A huge variety of human beings taking baths at Prayagraj at some unspecified time in the future of Maha Kumbh Mela in the river which include auspicious bathing days that eventually affect growth in fecal attention,” CPCB’s report states.
The CPCB’s record, dated February three, 2025, changed into submitted earlier than the Principal Bench of the NGT, comprising Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal, and Expert Member A. Senthil Vel.
The bench is currently paying attention to a plea moved via Varanasi-based totally Advocate Saurabh Tiwari, elevating a grievance approximately the high-quality of water in river Ganga and Yamuna in Prayagraj. The bench is also analyzing the allegation of the release of untreated sewage via the drains in rivers Ganga and Yamuna on the subject of Magh Mela and Kumbh Mela.
However, on Monday (February 17), the bench noted that UP PCB did not discover any entire movement taken document as directed by way of the Tribunal.
“Along with the covering letter cope to the Registrar General dated 28.01.2025 the In-rate Central Laboratory, UP PCB has enclosed positive water check evaluations. Thus, we discover that the order of the Tribunal to record the whole movement taken record has now not been complied with the aid of the use of the UP PCB,” the bench positioned in its order.
The bench, but, cited that even at the perusal of the files enclosed along the facet of the protective letter despatched with the resource of the In-rate Central Laboratory, UP PCB, it determined that High levels of faecal and usual coliform were decided in diverse places.
Against this backdrop, the NGT directed the Member Secretary, UP PCB, and the involved State Authority which is chargeable for preserving the water fine in river Ganga at Prayagraj, to appear surely these days.
Multiple spots in Prayagraj, wherein the Maha Kumbh Mela is underway, no longer meet primary bathing necessities because of high levels of faecal coliform in water, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) confirmed.
An indicator of sewage infection, faecal coliform holds the permissible limit of two,500 devices in step with a hundred ml, CPCB informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday.
The report with the aid of CPCB has been filed according to a path issued through using the NGT (vide order dated December 23, 2024) to CPCB and UP PCB. The order of the NGT reads for that reason:
“The CPCB and UPPCB will take the water samples from rivers Ganga and Yamuna from the factors at least two times each week at regular durations through preserving off duplicacy of pattern on the same day and will display the sample evaluation document on the internet web page of UP PCB and CPCB. The report can even consist of normal performance of STPs and geo-tubes”
What is Faecal Coliform Bacteria?
Coliforms are bacteria that continue to exist within the intestines of heat-blooded animals and people. The fecal coliform microorganism is associated with human or animal wastes. In line with the Water Research Centre.
Coliforms and faecal streptococci are microorganisms businesses use as signs of possible sewage contamination. While they may be now not harmful, they’re concerning due to pathogenic bacteria and viruses, in step with the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Their presence in water indicates pathogenic microorganisms may additionally be there, posing fundamental health dangers.
It is tough and time-consuming to check the presence of a large type of pathogens in water, hence it is tested for coliforms and faecal streptococci. Apart from the possible health risks, multiplied ranges of faecal bacteria cause unsightly odors, cloudy water, and an advanced oxygen call.
When you shower in such waters, you risk developing fever, nausea, or even belly cramps. This takes vicinity because pathogens input the frame through the mouth, nostril, and ears, consistent with the Water Research Centre.
It might also motivate typhoid, hepatitis, ear infections, gastroenteritis, and dysentery.
Fecal coliform in water can be contained with the aid of boiling it or treating it with chlorine. Not just that, you want to wash yourself very well with cleansing cleaning soap to prevent infections.
CPCB file
In its file, the CPCB said the river water first-class in Prayagraj has grown to be “no longer conforming to the primary water tremendous for bathing with admire to faecal coliform (FC) at all the monitored locations on various activities.”
At the Maha Kumbh, tens of thousands and thousands shower at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj. This “subsequently results in a boom in fecal.
Sangam waters in which heaps and heaps of devotees had been taking a holy dip each day for the duration of the ongoing Maha Kumbh have been located to be contaminated with alarming degrees of fecal and general coliform, prompting National Green Tribunal (NGT) to summon UP government authorities.
A superb assessment record submitted to NGT via the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Feb 3 stated the coliform degrees – a key indicator of the presence of untreated sewage and human and animal excreta – were determined to be 1, a hundred instances of the requirements inside the Ganga and 660 instances inside the Yamuna at some stretches on a particular day, making the river waters unfit for bathing.
According to CPCB necessities, for organized outdoor bathing, the general coliform ranges ought to no longer exceed 500 MPN (Most Probable Number) in step with 100 ml. However, CPCB located that with the aid of the use of Jan 19, trendy coliform tiers had reached a whopping seven-hundred,000 MPN/100ml in the Ganga and 330,000 MPN/100ml inside the Yamuna. It analyzed the samples on Jan 12, thirteen, 14, 15, and 19, and the full coliform stages never met standards.
CPCB findings are no longer first-class indicating non-compliance with NGT’s advance directive to hold critical water nice standards, however additionally raised concerns over public fitness and environmental sustainability, the tribunal’s critical bench, headed by the resource of its chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, noted inside the direction of a being attentive to on Feb 17.
The high ranges of fecal bacteria within the waters pose significant dangers of waterborne illnesses, at the same time as immoderate natural pollutants threaten aquatic lifestyles and usual river fitness.
Pointing out that UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) had no longer filed any complete motion taken record, as directed via tribunal in Dec final 365 days, the bench ordered the board’s member secretary and the state authority liable for keeping water first-rate in river Ganga at Prayagraj to appear earlier than it in reality in the course of the subsequent paying attention to on Feb 19.
NGT had in December asked CPCB and UPPCB to reveal and document the water’s high quality often, the same time as additionally ensuring that untreated sewage no longer circulates the two rivers so that the pilgrims who came for a holy bath should not suffer. It directed the groups to analyze water samples from the rivers at minimum instances a week at regular periods.
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Varsha, a socially conscious and driven law student from Nashik,maharashtra who believes in justice, equality, and policy reforms for a better society. She is analytical, solution-oriented, and committed to creating positive change through legal and ethical means.
