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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday reserved its order on a petition alleging that inadequate sanitation facilities at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela have led to open defecation along the banks of the Ganga river.
Meanwhile, the tribunal bench led by its chairman Justice Prakash Shrivastava directed the Uttar Pradesh government and concerned authorities to take immediate remedial action. Nipun Bhushan, the petitioner, through plea has sought Rs10 crore in environmental compensation from the Uttar Pradesh government, claiming that the state has failed to prevent large-scale pollution due to poor sanitary provisions at the Kumbh Mela site. The petition alleged that many individuals and families are forced to defecate openly along the Ganga riverbank because of the lack of adequate facilities. To support his claim, Bhushan has provided videos as evidence. Moreover, the petition references a November 2024 water quality test that recorded Fecal Coliform levels at downstream Sangam at 3,300 MPN (Most Probable Number) per 100 milliliters, surpassing the permissible limit of 2,500 MPN/100 ml established by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). This level of contamination poses a risk of diseases like cholera, hepatitis A, and polio to the millions of devotees taking a holy dip in the Ganga, the petition argues. The application further claims that the state has breached its duty under Article 48A of the Constitution, which mandates the protection and improvement of the environment. Allowing mass open defecation and failing to prevent pollution violates this constitutional obligation, it is submitted. Despite official assurances regarding the installation of bio-toilets, the petition alleges that thousands of pilgrims still lack access to clean or functional facilities and are compelled to defecate in the open. (ANI)
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