Lok Sabha Question No. 158 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Faecal Coliform Levels in Ganga River
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Anand Bhadauria, Shri K Sudhakaran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 158

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## Faecal Coliform Levels in Ganga River

## *158.   SHRI ANAND BHADAURIA: SHRI K SUDHAKARAN:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently that the quality of water at the confluence of river Ganga and Yamuna at Prayagraj, during the Maha Kumbh, is failing to meet the primary standards for bathing;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  faecal  coliform  levels  from  Haridwar  to  Hugli, location-wise;
- (c) the reasons for such high level of faecal coliform in Ganga water;
- (d) whether the CPCB has recently published any report stating that faecal coliform levels at all monitored locations were above the permissible limit of 2,500 units per 100 ml, indicating  significant  sewage  contamination,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the reasons therefor;
- (e) the action taken by the Government on the said issue as the State Government of Uttar Pradesh failed to maintain water quality in Prayagraj; and
- (f) the details of fund allocated, released and utilised for cleaning river Ganga during 202223, 2023-24 and 2024-25 till 9th March, 2025, year-wise and State-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARAS (a) to (f) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *158  DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON  10.03.2025  REGARDING 'FAECAL COLIFORM LEVELS IN GANGA RIVER' BY SHRI ANAND BHADAURIA AND SHRI K SUDHAKARAN: HON'BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

## (a) to (d):

The Hon'ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the matter of Kamlesh Singh Vs State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors. in OA No. 310/2022 with M.A No. 59/2024 in OA No. 56/2024 vide order dated 23.12.2024 directed the following:

' During the Maha Kumbh 2025 regular monitoring of the water quality of the river Ganga and Yamuna is necessary at frequent intervals to meet primary water quality criteria.'.

In pursuance to above order of Hon'ble NGT, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) carried out  regular  water  quality  monitoring  at  seven  locations  (twice  a  week)  in  the  stretch  from Shringverpur ghat (upstream of Prayagraj) to Deehaghat (downstream of Prayagraj) including at  Sangam  nose  (confluence  point  of  river  Ganga  and  Yamuna)  since  12 th   January,  2025 covering auspicious bathing (Amrit Snan) days including pre and post days of such auspicious bathing days.

Thereafter, CPCB submitted its initial monitoring report dated 03.02.2025 before Hon'ble NGT wherein,  the  river  water  quality  data  collected  during  12 th -  26 th   January,  2025  including monitoring  data  of  10  Sewage  Treatment  Plants  (STPs)  installed  at  Prayagraj  and  07 Geosynthetic Dewatering Tubes (Geo-tube) filtration was reported.

Further, CPCB added three more water quality monitoring locations and increased monitoring frequency to twice daily with effect from 21.02.2025 to augment availability of water quality data, thus taking the total number of water quality monitoring locations to 10.

A comprehensive report dated 28.02.2025 was submitted before Hon'ble NGT in compliance of order dated 23.12.2024.

As  per  the  said  report,  median  value  of  pH,  Dissolved  Oxygen  (DO),  Biochemical  Oxygen demand  (BOD)  and  Faecal  Coliform  (FC)  for  all  the  monitored  locations  was  within  the respective criteria/permissible limits for bathing water.

(e): Initiatives taken by State Government of Uttar Pradesh to maintain the water quality for Green Maha Kumbh 2025 were as follows:

- i. 10 STPs were installed to treat wastewater ensuring that effluents meet environmental standards before being released.
- ii. 07 geotubes were installed as interim remedial measure for waste water treatment of 21 untapped drains.
- iii. Three pre-fabricated temporary STPs were installed, each with capacity of 500 KLD in the Mela area.
- iv. Three Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) with total capacity 200KLD (100 KLD, 50 KLD, 50 KLD) were installed.
- v. The UP Jal Nigam used advanced oxidation techniques to treat wastewater, preventing untreated water from entering the Ganga River.
- vi. Adequate  number  of  toilets  and  urinals  were  established  across  the  Mela  area  to accommodate the large number of pilgrims.
- vii. Adequate number of dustbins, each equipped with liner bags were strategically placed and were available for waste disposal.
- viii. The event was supported by a dedicated team of sanitation staff and a fleet of adequate number of tippers,  hoppers and  refuse  compactors  were  deployed  for efficient  waste transportation.
- ix. Two Bio-composting plants of 600 TPD and 300 TPD capacity were in operation.
- x. Campaigns like 'Plastic Unmulan Mahaabhiyan' and 'Arambh ' were undertaken with the aim to eliminate single-use plastics.
- xi. Eco-friendly  alternatives,  such  as  10  lakh  traditional  leaf  plates  (dona-pattal),  were distributed to replace plastic items.
- xii. A 'one bag, one thali' drive was undertaken to encourage pilgrims to use reusable cloth bags and steel plates, distributing 1.5 million steel plates and 2 million cloth bags to reduce waste generation.
- xiii. Jute and cloth bags were made available free of cost in the Mela area. Further clay kullad , dona pattal pltaes, dona pattal bowl, bio-degradable disposable cups, plates & bowls are provided in the area.
- xiv. Every local shop was provided with 02 dustbins under drive- 'Every Shop A Touch'. Bag vending machines were placed along with plastic bottle crushers.
15. (f) : Namami Gange Programme was launched in June 2014 for a period up to 31 st  March 2021 to rejuvenate River Ganga and its tributaries. The programme was subsequently extended up to 31 st  March, 2026.

The year-wise details of the amount allocated and released by the Government of India to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and amount disbursed by the NMCG to various agencies for implementation of projects/ interventions to abate pollution, as well as to rejuvenate river Ganga and its tributaries during financial year (FY) 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 (till 03 rd  March, 2025) are at Annexure I .

The State-wise amount disbursed to various agencies including State Missions for Clean Ganga, for implementation of projects/interventions in the states under the Namami Gange Programme during FY 2022-23, 2023-24 and in 2024-25 (till 03 rd  March, 2025) is at Annexure-II .

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## Annexure I

Year-wise  details  of  the  amount  released  by  the  Government  of  India  to  NMCG  and amount disbursed by NMCG to various implementing/ executing agencies (FY 2022-23 to till 03 March 2025)

Rs. in crore

| F.Y.    | Budget Provisions (RE)   | Funds released Government of India NMCG   | Disbursement/Release NMCG   | by        |
|---------|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------|
| 2022-23 | 2,500.00                 | 2,220.00                                  |                             | 2,258.98  |
| 2023-24 | 2,400.00                 | 2,400.00                                  |                             | 2,396.10  |
| 2024-25 | 3,000.00                 | 2,801.60                                  |                             | 2,051.66* |
| Total   | 7,900.00                 | 7,421.60                                  |                             | 6,706.74  |

* up to 03 rd   March, 2025

## Note:-

- (i) NMCG fully transited to the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system from the financial year 2022-23. Prior to TSA, grants released to the NMCG by the Government of India were non-lapsable.
- (ii) Disbursement by NMCG in 2022-23 includes unspent grants carried forward from previous years.

## Yearly  disbursement  under  Namami  Gange  Programme  and  State-wise  Financial  Year 2022-23 to 03 rd  March, 2025

| Sl. No.   | States         | 2022-23           | 2023-24           | 2024-25*          |
|-----------|----------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
|           |                | (Rupees in crore) | (Rupees in crore) | (Rupees in crore) |
| 1         | Uttarakhand    | 111.72            | 144.40            | 82.12             |
| 2         | Uttar Pradesh  | 707.44            | 820.74            | 999.38            |
| 3         | Bihar          | 873.39            | 878.96            | 333.98            |
| 4         | Jharkhand      | 4.75              | 32.60             | 97.23             |
| 5         | West Bengal    | 255.52            | 150.88            | 229.72            |
| 6         | Madhya Pradesh | -                 | 12.50             | 39.67             |
| 7         | Delhi          | 77.33             | 161.18            | -                 |

Note 1 : State-wise disbursements indicated above include funds released to (i) State Missions for Clean Ganga for Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and associated infrastructure, (ii) State Forest Departments for Afforestation Projects, (iii) STP Projects implemented on Hybrid Annuity Mode, (iv) Central Public Sector Enterprises for River Front Development (RFD)/Ghat Projects, and (v) Industrial Pollution Abatement Projects.

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