The myth of a clean Kumbh

Prayagraj, where the Kumbh is held, has only one solid waste treatment plant at Baswar village, which according to a report submitted to the NGT is lying “practically closed since September 2018”. A huge mountain of waste could be seen behind the boundary wall of that plant, untreated and uncovered. Photo: Adithyan PC

At the site of the Mela, spread across 35 hectares, DTE spotted burnt waste and waste dumps covered with sand at several sites. Sewarage pipelines that had been dismantled during the Kumbh are being re-installed now to avoid seepage into the residential areas. Photo: Adithyan PC

Sewage treatment plants were overflowing during the Kumbh, which means that the sewage could not be treated properly and the visitors did not get clean water for bathing during the Mela. Photo: Adithyan PC

The geo tube technology for drain water treatment was a big-ticket investment before Kumbh. The NGT noted that the technology, installed on five drains, was flowing out into the river. Photo: Adithyan PC

The geo tube was not working satisfactorily and 50 per cent of the sewage from the drain was trapped and the rest was going into the Ganga, the tribunal said in the order. Photo: Adithyan PC

The NGT order pointed out that 36 temporary ponds were made at the bank of the river where dirty water has collected with no lining. Some of them still had dirty water. Photo: Adithyan PC

Pulling up authorities for poor waste management, the green tribunal, in it’s April 22, 2019 order, had warned that the host city could be on the verge of an epidemic. Photo: Adithyan PC