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The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) assured the National Green Tribunal (NGT) February 24, 2025 that remedial action would be taken if all relevant material related to the alleged open defecation during the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj was shared with the authority.
The NGT directed the applicant, Nipun Bhushan, to submit all supporting material to the member secretary of the UPPCB, who, upon receipt, would immediately verify the accuracy of the allegation through an on-site inspection. If the allegation was found to be true, the authority would take immediate remedial action and submit an action taken report to the registrar general of the tribunal within four weeks.
The applicant alleged that open defecation was occurring due to a lack of functional or clean bio-toilets.
In support of the allegation, the applicant submitted only two video recordings in a pen drive, without any additional evidence. The court noted that these video recordings did not contain geo-coordinates. The UPPCB stated that the pen drive had not been provided to the authority.
During the hearing, the applicant also referred to two reports published in Down To Earth and the newspaper The Times of India, though these reports were not included in the records.
NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava emphasised that the application raised a time-sensitive issue. He stated that a competent authority should verify the claims made by the applicant by ascertaining the factual situation on the ground.
A regular crocodile census by the Kota Forest Department should be conducted to monitor population trends and demographics. Additionally, anicuts should be replaced with bridges to facilitate both the free movement of crocodiles and the unrestricted flow of water in the river. These recommendations were included in a joint committee report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) February 24, 2025.
The committee also recommended that the state agriculture department raise awareness and promote the use of organic manure in the Chandraloi river area. The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) was advised to direct the Kota Municipal Corporation to expedite household sewage connections and divert all drains to the sewage treatment plant (STP). This would ensure that urban sewage is treated properly before being discharged into the Chandraloi river, thereby improving water quality.
The case was initiated suo motu based on a news report titled Four endangered crocodiles found dead in Rajasthan river; experts wonder if pollution is to blame, published inthe newspaper The Indian Express on December 6, 2024. The article reported that in 2022, 50 crocodiles had died due to industrial pollution in the Chandraloi river in Kota, Rajasthan. Additionally, six days before the article's publication, four crocodiles measuring 6-7 feet in length were found dead, with pollution suspected as the cause.
Following this, the NGT, on December 19, 2024, constituted a joint committee to inspect the site, conduct biomonitoring and bioassay tests, and submit a report.
The Chandraloi river is a small tributary of the Chambal river. As it flows along the outer periphery of Kota, it merges with the Kansua Nalah, which carries some of the city's domestic sewage, treated industrial effluent, and agricultural runoff. Crocodiles inhabit the Chandraloi river along its length.
The joint committee conducted site visits on January 24 and 25, 2025 and collected water samples from nine representative locations where crocodile deaths had been reported between November 30 and December 4, 2024.
The report highlighted that organic pollution from untreated sewage entering the Chandraloi river is a significant issue. This was evident from the physico-chemical parameters and the presence of total and faecal coliform bacteria. The dominance of Chironomidae in benthic macroinvertebrates further confirmed sewage contamination.
Interestingly, bioassay results showed a high fish survival rate (90–100%) in the collected samples. The report noted, “This suggests that, despite contamination, aquatic life is still managing to survive. However, the long-term impacts of such pollution on the ecosystem could be detrimental.”
Heavy metal levels were found to be within normal ranges. However, the increasing use of pesticides by local farmers was flagged as a concern. Traces of pesticides such as Aldrin, Endosulfan, and 4,4-DDE were detected in the river water, although the concentrations remained within prescribed drinking water standards.
The committee also interacted with officials from the Kota Veterinary Department, who had conducted post-mortem examinations. However, the post-mortem reports were inconclusive due to the advanced decomposition of the carcasses. The probable cause of death was attributed to multiple organ failure. Viscera samples have been sent to the State Forensic Laboratory in Kota, and the results are awaited.
The report acknowledged systemic issues in Kota's sewage infrastructure, leading to raw sewage entering the Chandraloi river. “Despite a surplus sewage treatment capacity of 2.75 million litres per day (MLD), gaps in household connections result in pollution. Effective measures are needed to ensure all households are properly connected and sewage is treated before entering the river,” it stated.
While media reports claimed that 50 crocodiles had died due to pollution, records from the Kota Forest & Wildlife Department indicate that between January 2022 and December 2024, only 10 crocodile deaths were officially recorded.