NGT seeks response from UP over open defecation at Maha Kumbh Mela

The National Green Tribunal's (NGT) recently issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government, Prayagraj Mela Authority and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UP PCB) over allegations that inadequate sanitation facilities at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 have led to open defecation along the banks of Ganga river..A bench of of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member Dr. A Senthil Vel sought responses from the authorities, directing them to file their replies one week before the next hearing. The case will be heard on February 24."The application alleges that lakhs of ordinary people and families are forced to defecate in open on the bank of the river Ganga for want of adequate facilities. In support of the plea taken in the OA, the Applicant has enclosed a pen drive containing the videos," the NGT noted. .The application was filed by one Nipun Bhushan seeking ₹10 crore in environmental compensation from the Uttar Pradesh government on the ground that the State failed to prevent large-scale pollution owing to poor deployment of sanitary facilities at the Kumbh Mela site. To support its demand for such compensation, Bhushan invoked the polluter pays principle, a widely recognized principle in environment law that mandates the polluter to bear the cost of damages caused to the environment..The application also alleged dereliction of duty under Article 48A of the Constitution, which obligates the state to protect and improve the environment. Allowing mass open defecation and failing to prevent pollution violates this constitutional mandate, it was submitted..Despite official assurances of bio-toilets being installed, thousands of pilgrims are forced to defecate in the open due to lack of clean or functional facilities. Even if the 1.5 lakh bio-toilets deployed are operational, they appear insufficient to handle the massive influx of people, it was contended.Videos recorded by visitors allegedly show human waste accumulating along the riverbanks, raising serious concerns about public health and environmental safety, the plea pointed out..The application also cited a November 2024 water quality test, which recorded Fecal Coliform levels at downstream Sangam at 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 presence of such contaminants could lead to diseases like cholera, hepatitis A and polio, endangering millions of devotees taking a holy dip in the Ganga, it was contended.Earlier this month, a report was filed before the NGT by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealing alarming levels of Fecal Coliform that made the Ganga's water unsuitable for bathing. .As per the plea, the UP PCB has not published updated water quality data, leading to questions over transparency..[Read Order]