Kumbh 2025: Can Ganga be treated as River All Round the Year

Ganges bath was observed in Kuakata on Sunday April 23, 2023.

The Indian government website on Maha Kumbh (https://kumbh.gov.in/) has started the countdown to Mahakumbh 2025 to be held in Prayagraj from January 13 to Feb 26, 2025. It says today that it is 55 days to the beginning of Mahakumbh. But the Ganga is highly polluted in Prayagraj, and even upstream even in Uttarakhand, the state where it originates as the following reports this week say and as we all know.

The reason why the largest congregation on earth happens here every 12 years is because, as puranas say, Ganga water turns into Amrit on these holy days. So how will the Ganga water turned into Amrit at Prayagraj in 55 days?

Shutting down some polluting industries, releasing water from upstream Tehri dam, diverting sewage carrying stream from the Ganga and temporarily ensuring better functioning of the sewage treatment plants, solid waste collection and Central Effluent Treatment Plants are some of the measures taken every time there is a Kumbh Mela and the same may be done this year too. All these are minimum measures necessary for treating Ganga as a river. But should we not be treating Ganga as a river all-round the year?

As Bhupen Hazarika sang, how long will the Ganga keep flowing quietly, taking all the dirt that we dump in it? All the activities that we do that harm the very existence of the river? We may recall that Ganga, in Mahabharat, cursed Arjun, no less, for ill-treating just one of her sons, Bhishm. How many daughters and sons of Ganga are we ill-treating every day?

Prayagraj About a 1.5 km stretch of Ganga from Shashtri Bridge to Sangam is being dredged to reclaim riverbed land for forthcoming Kumbh gathering. As per reports the exercise began in May-June 2024 and Ganga’s flowing course was pushed 200 meters away but floods in following month made the effort futile. Now dredgers deployed again to turn braided channel of 3 streams into one stream. 

The NGT’s order further directed the chief secretary to file an affidavit disclosing the information relating to each of the drains in different districts, sewage generated from it, the STP to which it is proposed to be connected, the timeline for making the STP functional, funds which are available, identification and allotment of land for setting up the STP. While the sewage-treatment capacity in the city is 394.48 MLD, the sewage generated stands at 468.28 MLD, leaving 73 MLD of untreated sewage.

The NGT also pointed out that, of the 41 STPs across 16 Ganga-front towns, 35 are operational with a combined capacity of 1301.2 MLD, but only 1116.23 MLD is utilised. In Farrukhabad, two STPs remain non-operational, further contributing to untreated sewage discharge into the river. With Mahakumbh set to begin in Prayagraj on January 13, the NGT has urged urgent measures to address these pollution concerns. https://www.news18.com/india/mahakumbh-ganga-pollution-ngt-uttar-pradesh-strict-measures-9120686.html  (14 Nov. 2024)

After NGT’s rap, Govt chalks out 2-month plan for Mahakumbh Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh conducted a high-level meeting with officials across departments and a plan for short-term and long-term measures were discussed for Prayagraj and the districts from where the Ganga flows towards Sangam City. Screening, ponding with biological and chemical processing and filtration at the point of discharge of the drain will be done in Prayagraj. Screening will reduce waste matter and carcasses flowing in the drain. Ponding of drain water with biological and chemical process will break the heavy pollutants. Filtration will weed out heavy waste.

Among short-term solutions, flow of fresh water from the Narora canal will be attempted to improve the BoD level. This will be done if the previous measures do not show the impact as desired. The UPPCB has also made a roster for industries where the units, emitting effluents in the rivers, will remain shut for specific periods near the Shahi Snan days at the Mahakumbh-2025. This roster will decide which district will keep their industrial units closed on which dates, keeping in view the river distance of the district from Prayagraj.  “Under long-term measures, STPs have been planned for these drains. With short-term measures, we hope to improve the water quality as per the required norm before Mahakumbh-2025,” said UPPCB chairman Ravindra Pratap Singh. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/ganga-pollution-after-ngt-s-rap-up-chalks-out-two-month-plan-for-mahakumbh-101731526510051.html  (14 Nov. 2024)

500 Ganga Praharis to maintain river sanctity Under the Namami Gange project in Prayagraj, the ‘Ganga Praharis’ are dedicated to ensuring the cleanliness of rivers and ghats while conserving aquatic life, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute. Working in teams of 15-20 at each ghat and operating in shifts during the Mahakumbh, they are not only cleaning the rivers and ghats but also educating pilgrims on the importance of preserving river sanctity. Additionally, over 200 specially trained Ganga Praharis from across the country are being deployed to ensure no manpower shortage in this monumental effort. Additionally, the team will work alongside security personnel to monitor the ghats, promptly responding to emergencies to ensure the safety and well-being of bathers. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/mahakumbh-2025-prayagraj-gears-up-with-500-ganga-praharis-to-maintain-river-sanctity/articleshow/115381190.cms  (17 Nov. 2024)

Kanpur Tanneries adopt sustainable practices to cut environmental impact Kanpur produces 20% of India’s leather, contributing severely to groundwater contamination and polluting the Ganga river. https://scroll.in/video/1075456/eco-india-kanpur-s-tanneries-adopt-sustainable-practices-to-cut-environmental-  (10 Nov. 2024)

Uttarakhand ‘Ganga contaminated near origin due to STP discharge’  Untreated effluent discharged from a STP is polluting the Ganga near its source, a report submitted to the NGT has revealed. The report, based on findings from the Uttarakhand govt, was presented during a tribunal hearing on pollution control in the Ganga in Uttarakhand. The NGT, which had requested a report from the state and related authorities, passed an order on Nov 5 and has scheduled the matter for further discussion on Feb 13 next year.

The CPCB’s report to the tribunal has also noted that of the 53 STPs commissioned across Uttarakhand, only 50 were operational, and 48 failed to meet norms regarding FC levels, BOD removal efficiency, and sewage utilisation capacity. Comparing the state’s report with the CPCB’s findings, the NGT observed, “We find that disclosures which have been made by the state of Uttarakhand in its latest report are doubtful.” Regarding untreated sewage, the tribunal observed that 63 drains are discharging directly into the Ganga and its tributaries without treatment. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/ganga-water-contamination-near-source-due-to-untreated-stp-discharge-ngt-report/articleshow/115187607.cms  (11 Nov. 2024)

Source: South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP)