New Delhi [India], The National Green Tribunal (NGT), through the Government of Uttar Pradesh, has directed the Prayagraj Administration to take all possible, effective and expeditious measures, in a time-bound action plan to ensure the minimum discharge or cessation of discharge of sewage into the Ganges and Yamuna rivers before the commencement of the Kumbh Mela.
The Principal Bench, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava and also comprising Arun Kumar Tyagi (judicial magistrate) and Dr A. Senthil Vel (expert member), issued an order on July 1 which read: "Taking into account the fact that the pilgrims/visitors of the Kumbh Mela will bathe in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers and use their water for drinking, we are of the view that all possible, effective and prompt measures need to be taken and a time-bound action plan is required to ensure minimum discharge or cessation of discharge of sewage into the Ganges and Yamuna rivers before the commencement of the Kumbh Mela."
"We grant eight more weeks to the State of UP to submit a report reflecting the progress in this direction and conclude its bid on the time-bound action plan. The concerned authorities will ensure that the water quality of the rivers is maintained at a appropriate level for drinking and that this suitability is displayed to the pilgrims/visitors of the Kumbh Mela at various bathing ghats," the court said.
After reviewing the recent report of the Joint Committee, the court observed that the report clearly reveals that there are as many as 44 untapped drains discharging raw sewage into the river Ganga.
The report further reveals that there are a total of 81 drains in the city discharging 289.97 MLD sewage, and the sewage received through the sewage network in the existing 10 STPs is 178.31 MLD. The untapped drains discharge 73.80 MLD and the deficit in treatment capacity is 128.28 MLD.
The court also noted that the counsel for the State of UP stated that there are three STPs with capacities of 90, 43 and 50 MLD in the process of creation to bridge the gap. However, a close examination of Table 8 indicates that the bids for the 90 MLD and 50 MLD STPs have not been finalized and the contracts are still in the bidding stage. Work on the proposed 43 MLD STP began on March 19, 2024.
The court also observed several deficiencies in the report: against the installed capacity of 340 MLD of the 10 STPs, 394.48 MLD wastewater is received. There is a need to clarify how excess wastewater is treated and how standards are met. Additionally, 1,66,456 households are yet to be connected, raising questions on how much additional wastewater will be transported to the existing or proposed PCTs. In addition, tap drains must have intermediate or main pumping stations to send wastewater to the PCT or through a closed conduit system.
The State lawyer stated that of the 44 unused drains, 17 will be used and connected to the existing STP by November 2024.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had earlier formed a committee and directed it to carry out inspections of all drains linking the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and all STPs discharging into these rivers in Prayagraj district.
The Principal Bench, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava and also comprising Arun Kumar Tyagi (judicial magistrate) and Dr A. Senthil Vel (expert member), issued an order on July 1 which read: "Taking into account the fact that the pilgrims/visitors of the Kumbh Mela will bathe in the Ganges and Yamuna rivers and use their water for drinking, we are of the view that all possible, effective and prompt measures need to be taken and a time-bound action plan is required to ensure minimum discharge or cessation of discharge of sewage into the Ganges and Yamuna rivers before the commencement of the Kumbh Mela."
"We grant eight more weeks to the State of UP to submit a report reflecting the progress in this direction and conclude its bid on the time-bound action plan. The concerned authorities will ensure that the water quality of the rivers is maintained at a appropriate level for drinking and that this suitability is displayed to the pilgrims/visitors of the Kumbh Mela at various bathing ghats," the court said.
After reviewing the recent report of the Joint Committee, the court observed that the report clearly reveals that there are as many as 44 untapped drains discharging raw sewage into the river Ganga.
The report further reveals that there are a total of 81 drains in the city discharging 289.97 MLD sewage, and the sewage received through the sewage network in the existing 10 STPs is 178.31 MLD. The untapped drains discharge 73.80 MLD and the deficit in treatment capacity is 128.28 MLD.
The court also noted that the counsel for the State of UP stated that there are three STPs with capacities of 90, 43 and 50 MLD in the process of creation to bridge the gap. However, a close examination of Table 8 indicates that the bids for the 90 MLD and 50 MLD STPs have not been finalized and the contracts are still in the bidding stage. Work on the proposed 43 MLD STP began on March 19, 2024.
The court also observed several deficiencies in the report: against the installed capacity of 340 MLD of the 10 STPs, 394.48 MLD wastewater is received. There is a need to clarify how excess wastewater is treated and how standards are met. Additionally, 1,66,456 households are yet to be connected, raising questions on how much additional wastewater will be transported to the existing or proposed PCTs. In addition, tap drains must have intermediate or main pumping stations to send wastewater to the PCT or through a closed conduit system.
The State lawyer stated that of the 44 unused drains, 17 will be used and connected to the existing STP by November 2024.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had earlier formed a committee and directed it to carry out inspections of all drains linking the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and all STPs discharging into these rivers in Prayagraj district.
