NGT Seeks Response From UP Govt Over Open Defecation At Maha Kumbh Mela

The National Green Tribunal has issued a formal notice to the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the Prayagraj Mela Authority, and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UP PCB) in response to allegations concerning severe deficiencies in sanitation infrastructure at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.

These deficiencies have reportedly precipitated widespread open defecation along the banks of the Ganga River, raising significant environmental and public health concerns.

A bench composed of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. A. Senthil Vel has directed the implicated authorities to furnish their responses at least one week prior to the next scheduled hearing on February 24.

“The application alleges that lakhs of ordinary people and families are forced to defecate in the open on the banks of the river Ganga due to a lack of adequate facilities. In support of the plea taken in the OA, the applicant has enclosed a pen drive containing videos,” the NGT observed.

The petition, submitted by environmental activist Nipun Bhushan, seeks ₹10 crore in environmental compensation from the Government of Uttar Pradesh, asserting that its failure to deploy adequate sanitation measures has directly contributed to large-scale pollution.

The petition invokes the ‘polluter pays’ principle—a fundamental tenet of environmental law—which mandates that entities responsible for environmental degradation bear the financial burden of remediation efforts.

Furthermore, the petition contends that the State’s inaction constitutes a violation of Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, which obligates the government to protect and improve the environment. The allowance of extensive open defecation and the failure to enforce preventive measures represent a direct breach of this constitutional mandate, the plea argues.

Despite governmental assurances regarding the deployment of bio-toilets, the plea asserts that thousands of pilgrims continue to resort to open defecation due to the unavailability of clean or functional sanitation facilities.

Even assuming that all 1.5 lakh bio-toilets installed at the site are operational, they are deemed grossly inadequate to accommodate the vast number of attendees, the petition states.

The petition is supported by video evidence purportedly demonstrating the accumulation of human waste along the riverbanks, exacerbating public health risks. Additionally, the plea references a November 2024 water quality analysis, which recorded Fecal Coliform levels at 3,300 Most Probable Number (MPN) per 100 milliliters at the downstream Sangam area—surpassing the permissible threshold of 2,500 MPN/100 ml established by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The presence of such contaminants poses a severe threat of waterborne diseases, including cholera, hepatitis A, and polio, thereby jeopardizing the health and safety of millions of devotees participating in the sacred bathing ritual in the Ganga.

Moreover, a recent report submitted to the NGT by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) earlier this month corroborates these concerns, revealing critically high levels of Fecal Coliform, rendering the river water unsuitable for bathing.

The petition further highlights a lack of transparency in water quality monitoring, noting that the UP PCB has yet to publish updated assessments, raising concerns regarding regulatory oversight and accountability.

This case underscores pressing environmental and public health issues tied to one of the world’s most significant religious congregations, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive infrastructural reforms and robust policy interventions to safeguard both ecological integrity and public welfare.

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