Last updated:
Uttar Pradesh has outlined a long-term strategy to maintain the sewers, with the aim of reducing Ganga pollution levels for Mahakumbh 2025 and beyond to keep the holy river’s purity intact.
Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 is scheduled to begin on January 13, with Paush Purnima Snan, and will end on February 26, coinciding with Maha Shivratri. (Image: PTI/File)
The Uttar Pradesh government acted after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) raised concerns about the worsening Ganga water quality in the 2025 Mahakumbh season.
Under the NGT order, directing the state to set a timeline to control sewage discharge by regulating drains and repairing sewage treatment plants (STP), the government has now taken immediate steps to control pollution in the Prayagraj drain, aiming for a cleaner Ganga for the Mahakumbh. The state has also chalked out a long-term strategy to maintain the sewers, with the aim of reducing Ganga pollution levels for festivals and beyond to maintain the purity of the holy river.
“There are a total of 34 unused channels, according to the NGT, discharging around 128 MLD (million liters per day) per day into the Ganges in Prayagraj. Besides, the low water level in the Ganges is making the situation worse. First, as part of of the short-term measures, we decided to carry out screening, ponding, and chemical processing of these 34 channels (in Prayagraj), which we hope will reduce the level of pollution in the Ganges in Prayagraj, thus making it better for The upcoming Mahakumbh,â said Ravindra Pratap Singh, chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPCB).
Singh explained that the screening will reduce waste and carcasses flowing down the drain. Drainage ponding, followed by chemical treatment and filtration, will break down heavy pollutants and minimize pollutants in drain water. “As part of long-term measures, we are planning to set up sewage treatment plants (STPs) across the country to reduce discharge of sewage into the Ganga and reduce pollution levels,” he said.
List to Check Effluent Discharge in Ganges
In addition, the UPPCB has drawn up a list of industrial units that discharge effluents into the river, requiring them to be closed on specified days around Shahi Snan in Mahakumbh 2025. This schedule will determine which districts will suspend industrial operations on specific dates, based on that date. distance from Prayagraj, to ensure minimum pollution reaches the Ganga during the pilgrimage.
Order NGT
However, the UP government’s move was a result of the NGT order. “CPCB has submitted that there are many unclaimed drains in different cities and, therefore, the state should announce a timeline to tap these drains and set up STPs to treat sewage from these drains” – read the NGT’s message to the state .
The NGT order further directed the UP chief secretary to file an affidavit stating information related to each channel in different districts, waste generated, STPs proposed to be connected, timeline for making functional STPs, funds available, identification and land allotment to set STP.
According to the NGT order, monitoring at 41 sites revealed that faecal coliform levels exceeded 500 MNP/100ml at 16 locations and more than 2,500 MNP/100ml at 17 locations, indicating significant contamination from sewage and sullage. In addition, the NGT noted that out of 326 channels identified in the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report, 247 remain non-functional, discharging 3513.16 million liters per day (MLD) of untreated sewage into the Ganga and its tributaries.
While focusing on Prayagraj, which will host Mahakumbh 2025, the NGT highlighted a significant gap in sewage treatment capacity. While the sewage treatment capacity of the city is 394.48 MLD, the sewage generated is 468.28 MLD, leaving 73 MLD untreated sewage.
The NGT also stated that, of the 41 sewage treatment plants (STPs) in 16 cities along the Ganges, 35 are operational with a combined capacity of 1301.2 MLD, but only 1116.23 MLD are in use. In Farrukhabad, two STPs remain non-operational, further contributing to the discharge of untreated sewage into the river. With the Mahakumbh set to begin in Prayagraj on January 13, the NGT has called for urgent steps to tackle the pollution problem.
Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 is scheduled to begin on January 13, with Paush Purnima Snan, and will end on February 26, coinciding with Maha Shivratri.
