Ganga water was fit for bathing during Maha Kumbh: Centre tells Lok Sabha
A report on Ganga water at seven locations near Prayagraj, associated with the Maha Kumbh, showed water quality here met all standards for bathing.
A comprehensive report on Ganga water at seven locations near Prayagraj, associated with the Maha Kumbh, showed water quality here met all standards for bathing during the mela, the Union environment minister informed Lok Sabha on Monday.
Bhupender Yadav, Union environment minister was responding to questions by Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadauriya and K Sudhakaran, INC MP from Kerala on: whether the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the quality of water at the confluence at Prayagraj, during the Maha Kumbh, failed to meet the primary standards for bathing; the fecal coliform levels from Haridwar to Hugli, location-wise and the reasons for such levels; and the action taken by the Government on the said issue.
“A comprehensive report dated 28.02.2025 was submitted before Hon’ble NGT in compliance of order dated 23.12.2024. As per the said report, median value of pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC) for all the monitored locations was within the respective criteria/permissible limits for bathing water,” Yadav said, in response , without providing specific fecal coliform levels by location.
According US Environment Protection Agency, coliforms are bacteria that live in the intestines of warm-blooded animals (humans, pets, farm animals, and wildlife). Fecal coliform bacteria are a kind of coliform associated with human or animal wastes. Escherichia coli (E coli) is part of the group of fecal coliforms.
The development comes days after a report by the CPCB, submitted to the NGT, showed that apart from February 4, water at the Sangam was fit for bathing throughout February. An earlier report by the agency, submitted to NGT on February 3, presented data till January 24, showing the FC level at 49,000 for January 20. That report caused NGT to pull up the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board on February 17. The data showing the water as unclean was widely debated, including in the Uttar Pradesh assembly, where chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the water at Sangam was fit not just for bathing, but drinking.
In pursuance of an NGT order, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) carried out regular water quality monitoring at seven locations (twice a week) in the stretch from Shringverpur ghat (upstream of Prayagraj) to Deehaghat (downstream of Prayagraj) including at Sangam nose (confluence point of Ganga and Yamuna) from January 12, the minister said in his written response.
Yadav also listed a number of initiatives taken by the UP government to maintain water quality in the Ganga during Kumbh. These include 10 STPs installed to treat wastewater; seven geotubes installed as interim remedial measure for waste water treatment of 21 untapped drains; three pre-fabricated temporary STPs installed, each with capacity of 500 KLD in the Mela area; three fecal sludge treatment plants (FSTPs) with total capacity 200KLD.
Between 2022 and 2025, ₹6,706.74 crore was released to various agencies and states under National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to ensure treatment of waste water before it enters Ganga.
Namami Gange Programme was launched in June 2014 for a period up to March 31, 2021 to rejuvenate Ganga and its tributaries. The programme was subsequently extended up to March 31, 2026. State wise disbursement of NMCG funds shows during 2024-2025, ₹999.38 crore were released to Uttar Pradesh compared to ₹820.74 crore the previous year; ₹82.12 crore to Uttarakhand compared to ₹144.40 crore in 2023-2024; ₹333.98 crore to Bihar compared to ₹878.96 crore in 2023-2024. Delhi did not get funds in 2024-2025 but received ₹161.81 crore in 2023-24 and ₹77.33 crore in 2022-23.
