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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) February 17, 2025 directed the member secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and the concerned state authority responsible for maintaining water quality in River Ganga at Prayagraj to appear virtually on the next date of hearing (February 19, 2025).
The matter is related to the quality of water in rivers Ganga and Yamuna in Prayagraj. The tribunal was also examining allegations of discharge of untreated sewage through the drains in the rivers at the sites of the Magh Mela and Kumbh Mela.
NGT, through its order dated December 23, 2024, had directed regulatory agencies to ensure no untreated sewage and solid waste from any of the drains in Prayagraj is discharged into the two rivers.
UPPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) were directed to ensure that the river water is fit for drinking and bathing at all times.
CPCB, in its report on February 3, 2025, said that with “respect to the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), river water quality was not conforming with the bathing criteria during monitoring carried out on January 12-13, 2025 at most of the locations, however after that organic pollution (in terms of BOD) started to decrease due to freshwater intrusion at upstream locations”.
CPCB said that “river water quality was not conforming with the primary water quality for bathing with respect to faecal coliform at all the monitored locations on various occasions. A huge number of people were bathing in the river at Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh Mela, including auspicious bathing days that eventually leads to increase in faecal concentration”.
No flow metre was observed at the inlet and outlet in the drains in Sadar Bazar, Rajapur, ADA Colony / Jwala Devi, Jhondhwal, Shivkuti, Salori, Sasur Khaderi, the report mentioned.
However, UPPCB failed to file the comprehensive action taken report ordered by NGT on December 23, 2024. The documents filed by UPPCB reflected the high level of faecal and total coliform found in various locations, the court noted.
The counsel for Uttar Pradesh has sought time to examine the reports and file a response.
No unauthorised mining is being carried out in the Udalguri district of Assam, according to the report filed by the district commissioner on February 15, 2025.
The district survey report (DSR) for Udalguri is under preparation and "environmental clearances will be issued only after the final approvals of DSRs," stated the report.
NGT was informed that after obtaining detailed information, the district administration issued show-cause notices and gave directions to stop all mining activities.
“Udalguri district has a huge repository of natural resources in the form of sand and gravels due to its terrain and hilly rivers. The district caters to the need of materials irrespective of government projects being executed in the district and other neighboring districts and also individual demands. There is a huge opportunity of scientific mining in the district for minor minerals for development and revenue of the state,” the report said.
Further, “some projects pertaining to the water resources department are being executed in the flood-prone and vulnerable areas to combat the coming flood situation and severity of the existing embankment across the district. The department had to stop its ongoing works due to a ban on collection of materials from the mines,” the report added.
The petitioner Atanu Borthakur had alleged large-scale illegal mining activities taking place in Udalguri district in gross violation of environmental rules and guidelines. Mining activities were being carried out at a large scale in the absence of approved DSRs, Borthakur alleged.