GUWAHATI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government, Prayagraj Mela Authority, and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UP PCB) over allegations of inadequate sanitation facilities at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, leading to open defecation along the banks of the Ganga river.
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A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. A Senthil Vel sought responses from the concerned authorities and directed them to submit their replies at least a week before the next hearing, scheduled for February 24.
The case was filed by petitioner Nipun Bhushan, who alleged that a lack of adequate toilets has forced lakhs of pilgrims to defecate in the open, polluting the sacred river. The applicant submitted video evidence supporting the claims and sought ₹10 crore in environmental compensation from the state government.
Invoking the polluter pays principle, a fundamental concept in environmental law, the petition argued that the government must bear the financial burden for failing to prevent large-scale pollution. It also cited Article 48A of the Constitution, which mandates the state to protect and improve the environment.
Despite official assurances of 1.5 lakh bio-toilets being installed at the Kumbh site, the plea contended that many pilgrims are unable to access clean or functional facilities, making them inadequate for the massive influx of devotees. Videos recorded by visitors allegedly depict human waste accumulating along the riverbanks.
The petition also cited a water quality test from November 2024, which found Fecal Coliform levels at 3,300 MPN (Most Probable Number) per 100 millilitres at Sangam, exceeding the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's (MoEFCC) limit of 2,500 MPN/100 ml. Such contamination poses risks of diseases like cholera, hepatitis A, and polio, endangering millions of devotees taking a holy dip in the river.
The plea also accused the UP PCB of lacking transparency, as it has yet to publish updated water quality data.
