Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath rejected reports of faecal bacteria in the Maha Kumbh while calling it an attempt to defame the religious event. The chief minister said the Sangam river is fit for holy dip as well as for ‘Aachman’ (drinking).
On the faecal bacteria report, CM Yogi Adityanath said in the UP assembly, “Questions are being raised about the quality of the water (at Triveni)… All the pipes and the drains in and around Sangam have been taped and the water is being released only after purification… The UP Pollution Control Board is continuously monitoring the water to maintain its quality… As per today’s reports, the amount of BOD near Sangam is less than 3, and the Dissolved Oxygen is around 8-9. This means that the Sangam is water is suitable not just for bathing but also for ‘Aachman’… The reasons for increased faecal coliform can be several, such as sewage leakage and animal waste, but the amount of faecal coliform in Prayagraj is, as per the standards, less than 2,500 MPN per 100 ml… This means that the false campaign is only to defame the Maha Kumbh… The NGT has also said that the faecal waste was less than 2000 MPN per 100 ml.”
CM Yogi also dismissed claims of severe contamination as misleading. “This means that the false campaign is only to defame the Maha Kumbh… The NGT has also said that the faecal waste was less than 2,000 MPN per 100 ml,” he stated.
Earlier in a report, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) about the water quality of rivers with respect to Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). The report stated that during monitoring conducted on January 12-13, 2025, the river water quality did not meet the bathing criteria at most locations.
However, after this period, organic pollution (in terms of BOD) began to decrease due to the intrusion of freshwater at upstream locations. By January 13, 2025, the river water quality met the bathing criteria concerning BOD, except for the area around the Lord Curzon Bridge on the Ganga River on January 19, 2025.
