Ensure water quality of rivers adheres to prescribed levels during Maha Kumbh: NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the authorities in Uttar Pradesh to ensure that the water quality of Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj adheres to drinking water or bathing water levels at all times.

The tribunal, which passed several directions, including increasing both the number of monitoring points and the frequency of monitoring the rivers, also directed the authorities to ensure that the rivers are not polluted by solid waste or discharge of sewage.

The green body was hearing the issue of water quality of Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj during the upcoming Maha Kumbh.

A plea before it also alleged discharge of untreated sewage through drains into the two rivers.

Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh will be organised in Prayagraj from January 13 (Paush Poornima) to February 26 (Maha Shivratri). A bench of NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel noted the submissions of the additional advocate general (AAG) for Uttar Pradesh, as per which, ''during the Maha Kumbh, no drain in Prayagraj will discharge untreated sewage into Ganga or Yamuna''.

The bench also noted that according to the AAG, the authorities would ensure that the water quality doesn't go below 30 mg per litre (mg/L) of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), though the attempt would be to maintain the BOD standard at 10 mg/L along with faecal coliform levels having most probable number (MPN) levels of 100 MPN/100 ml.

BOD is a measure of the amount of oxygen that microorganisms consume to break down organic matter in a sample, while faecal coliform (FC) levels show pollution from microbes from the excreta of humans and animals.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), water quality data is analysed by estimating the average values of BOD and FC.

The CPCB has categorised a BOD of less than 20 at river monitoring locations as ''good or fit for bathing'' while a BOD score from 21 to 40 is termed as ''less polluted''.

The CPCB recommends an MPN of less than 500/100 ml as desirable for ''organised outdoor bathing''.

In the order passed on Monday, the tribunal said, ''During Maha Kumbh, regular monitoring of water quality of Ganga and Yamuna rivers is necessary at frequent intervals to meet the primary water quality criteria.'' Disposing of the plea, the green body passed several directions.

''The authorities will ensure that no untreated sewage or solid waste from any of the drains in Prayagraj is discharged into Ganga and Yamuna rivers. The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and CPCB shall ensure that river water quality at all times is drinking water/bathing water quality.'' ''To have a better monitoring mechanism and to ensure that pilgrims coming for holy bath do not suffer on account of unwanted flow of untreated sewage into Ganga and Yamuna rivers, the CPCB will increase its monitoring points and frequency of monitoring of the rivers,'' it added.

The tribunal also said that the CPCB and UPPCB will have to collect water samples from the rivers from the designated points at least twice a week and avoid duplicity of data, besides displaying the sample analysis reports on their websites.

''The reports will also include the performance of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and geotubes (geotextile tubes used to prevent pollution). The sample analysis reports will be sent by the CPCB and UPPCB during the Mela fortnightly to the registrar general of the tribunal so that in case of need, the matter can be listed for consideration again,'' the gren body said.

The tribunal also said that solid waste generated during the mega event would be managed as per the prescribed rules and that the regulatory agencies will have to strengthen the management system and be ''more prompt in ensuring compliance'' with environmental rules, especially during days of increased footfall.

''During the Maha Kumbh and after it is over, authorities will take steps for effective disposal of sludge generated in the STPs and deposited in geo-tubes by following the requisite environmental norms, and file a performance report for the same,'' it said.

The tribunal also directed the UPPCB and CPCB to file two comprehensive action-taken reports showing the status of compliance by December 31 and February 28.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)