NGT slams UP pollution panel over Sangam water report

The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday slammed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, asking whether it disputed the Central Pollution Control Board's finding on high levels of faecal coliform being found in the water at various locations in Prayagraj during the ongoing Mahakumbh.

A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A Senthil Vel was hearing the issue of preventing sewage discharge into the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj.

Additional advocate general Garima Prashad said the CPCB did not inform it about the places from where the water samples were taken.

The bench however asked her if the UPPCB was disputing or challenging the report and said there was no statutory requirement for the CPCB to provide information before taking samples.

The bench also slammed the UPPCB saying the sample collection points did not matter and that it was enough that the stretch of the river was polluted.

Prashad also informed the bench that UPPCB had filed an action-taken report on February 18 to which the bench said that faecal coliform levels were not mentioned in the report and that the report related to dates before January 12.

The AAG assured the bench that the state was taking corrective measures and a new report would be filed within a week.

Advocate Saurabh Tiwari appeared as the petitioner in the case.

The CPCB previously informed the NGT that various locations in Prayagraj during the ongoing Mahakumbh were not conforming to the primary water quality for bathing with respect to the level of faecal coliform.

Faecal coliform, a marker of sewage contamination, has a permissible limit of 2,500 units per 100 ml, according to the CPCB.

"The river water quality was not conforming to the primary water quality for bathing with respect to faecal coliform (FC) at all the monitored locations on various occasions. A large number of people took holy dips in the river at Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh Mela, including on auspicious bathing days, which eventually leads to an increase in faecal concentration," the report said.