Petitioner seeks ₹10 crore compensation, Cites Environmental Volations
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – – The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government, Prayagraj Mela Authority, and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board following complaints of open defecation along the banks of the Ganga during the ongoing Kumbh Mela.
A petition filed by Nipan Bhushan alleges that despite the government’s promises of eco-friendly sanitation facilities, thousands of pilgrims have been forced to defecate in the open due to inadequate arrangements. The tribunal, led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr A. Santhalvel, has directed the concerned authorities to submit a response at least a week before the next hearing, scheduled for Monday.
“The petition alleges that lakhs of common people and families are forced to defecate in the open on the banks of the Ganga due to lack of proper facilities,” the NGT’s notice stated. It also confirmed that the petitioner had submitted a pen drive containing video evidence supporting his claims.
Bhushan has demanded ₹10 crore as environmental compensation from the Uttar Pradesh government, citing its failure to prevent pollution caused by inadequate sanitation facilities at the religious gathering. He has invoked the ‘polluter pays’ principle, arguing that the government must be held accountable for the environmental damage.
The petition further alleges that the state’s inaction violates Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, which mandates the government to protect and improve the environment. “Allowing open defecation at the Kumbh Mela is a clear violation of the government’s constitutional duty,” the plea states.
According to the petition, thousands of pilgrims have no option but to defecate in the open, exacerbating pollution levels in the Ganga. It also cites a water quality test conducted in November 2024, which found the river’s water to be contaminated. The presence of pollutants, the plea warns, increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as hepatitis A, polio, and cholera, posing a serious health threat to the millions of devotees who take ritualistic dips in the river.
Earlier this month, the Central Pollution Control Board informed the NGT that high levels of bacteria, commonly associated with human and animal waste, were found in the Ganga during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
Despite the findings, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dismissed the pollution concerns, asserting that the water at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna is not only safe for bathing but also pure enough for religious rituals such as ‘Achman’ (sipping holy water).
The NGT’s directive marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over environmental management at mass religious gatherings, as authorities now face mounting pressure to ensure better sanitation facilities at the Kumbh Mela
