The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday reserved its verdict on a petition that accuses inadequate sanitation at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela of causing open defecation along the Ganga riverbanks.
In the meantime, a tribunal bench headed by Chairman Justice Prakash Shrivastava instructed the Uttar Pradesh government and relevant authorities to take immediate corrective measures.
Petitioner Nipun Bhushan has sought Rs 10 crore in environmental compensation from the state government, arguing that its failure to ensure proper sanitation at the Kumbh Mela site has resulted in large-scale pollution.
The petition claims that due to insufficient sanitation facilities, many individuals and families are forced to defecate in the open along the riverbank. Bhushan has also submitted video evidence to support these allegations.
Additionally, the plea cites a water quality test conducted in November 2024, which found that Fecal Coliform levels at downstream Sangam reached 3,300 MPN (Most Probable Number) per 100 milliliters—exceeding the permissible limit of 2,500 MPN/100 ml set by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
The petition contends that such contamination poses significant health risks, including diseases like cholera, hepatitis A, and polio, to the millions of devotees who take a holy dip in the Ganga.
Furthermore, it argues that the Uttar Pradesh government has violated its constitutional duty under Article 48A, which mandates the protection and enhancement of the environment. By allowing widespread open defecation and failing to prevent pollution, the state has neglected this responsibility, the plea submits.
Despite government assurances regarding the installation of bio-toilets, the petition claims that thousands of pilgrims still lack access to clean or functional facilities, leaving them with no choice but to defecate in the open.
