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Preparations for the Mahakumbh Mela, set to begin on January 13, 2025 in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, are in full swing. However, one of the most critical issues continues to be overlooked — the untreated sewage (wastewater) flowing directly into the Ganga river.
The situation is such that the water of the river is no longer fit for aachman (a ritual sipping of water). In other words, pilgrims who believe they are purifying themselves by bathing in the holy river at Prayagraj are, unknowingly, actually bathing in the city’s untreated sewage.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), with Justice Prakash Srivastava at the helm, has been hearing matters related to the pollution control, prevention, and treatment of the Ganga river, involving the Ganga basin states and their districts. The latest hearing took place on November 6, 2024.
During the hearing, the compliance report submitted by the Uttar Pradesh government on October 30, 2024 was reviewed. According to the report, Prayagraj city generates 468.28 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, while the sewage treatment capacity is only 340 MLD. This means that 128.28 MLD of sewage remains untreated and flows directly into the Ganga.
The report also revealed that 25 untapped drains in Prayagraj are discharging untreated sewage into the Ganga and 15 untapped drains are doing the same to the Yamuna river.
Prayagraj is supposed to have 10 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a combined designed capacity of 340 MLD. Out of these, nine are operational but are not treating the sewage according to the required standards, while an STP is not operational at all.
Of these 10 STPs, only the 14 MLD capacity STP at Salori is functioning according to water treatment standards. The remaining STPs are failing to meet key water quality parameters like biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen, power of hydrogen (pH), and total suspended solids (TSS).
The compliance report also highlighted that in the 11 Ganga districts, a total of 41 STPs are planned across 16 towns. However, six STPs have yet to be completed and remain non-functional. Of the 35 operational STPs, only 34 are failing to meet the prescribed standards for sewage treatment.
The report further stated that Kanpur Dehat district, through which Ganga flows, does not have any sewage treatment plant which means that sewage there remains untreated.
In terms of sewage treatment capacity, the report indicated that the designed capacity for STPs in the 16 towns of the 11 Ganga districts is 1337.96 MLD, but the operational capacity is only 1116.24 MLD (85.8 per cent).
This leaves a shortfall of 221.72 MLD in sewage treatment.
The report also found that 23 of the 41 STPs are violating the faecal coliform (FC) standard, which is severely affecting the water quality of the Ganga.
Only 12 STPs comply with the faecal coliform standard (<230 MPN/100ML), meaning the treated water contains bacteria below the permissible limit, which is a positive sign for water quality.
However, 23 STPs exceed the permissible limit (>230 MPN/100ML), meaning the treated water has high levels of faecal coliform, which could harm the Ganga and other water sources.
Out of the 34 STPs, 34 have disinfection systems (such as chlorination), which help make the treated water free from harmful bacteria.
Additionally, 13 STPs are operating beyond their designed capacity. These STPs are designed to handle 404.86 MLD, but their actual usage has reached 470.95 MLD.
The report also mentioned that 11 STPs are under construction or testing. Once operational, these plants will increase sewage treatment capacity, aiding in pollution control.
Furthermore, the Banayapur STP in Kanpur, with a 15 MLD capacity, has been fully built for over three years but remains non-operational, which is a major hindrance to the proper treatment of sewage in Kanpur.
Moreover, two STPs in Farrukhabad are completely shut down, resulting in untreated sewage flowing directly into the Ganga.
According to a report from the Central Pollution Control Board, of the 326 drains in Uttar Pradesh, 247 remain untapped, discharging 3513.16 MLD of polluted water into the Ganga and its tributaries.
During the hearing on November 6, the NGT noted that the situation in Ayodhya is also far from ideal, and conditions in other districts remain concerning.
The NGT has instructed the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh to file an affidavit detailing the status of each district's drains, the volume of sewage they produce, the plan for connecting these drains to sewage treatment plants, and the timeline for their implementation.
The tribunal also asked the affidavit to include details about land allocation for the construction of sewage treatment plants, financial resources, and timeframes.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for January 20, 2025.