[Ganga Pollution] City needs to be prepared before Mahakumbh next year: Allahabad HC seeks report on Prayagraj's sewage system

The Allahabad High Court recently sought a detailed report on the plan of the Prayagraj Administration to take care of the extra generation of sewerage water and solid waste that occurs during various religious festivals.

The bench of Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Ajit Kumar observed, "It is a matter of fact that crores of people visit Prayagraj City on different occasions, (and) as a result, there is the extra generation of sewerage water and also the solid waste".

"...the idea is to create the facilities before the next Mahakumbh, which is scheduled in December 2024/January 2025," the court said.

The order was passed in a batch of Public Interest Litigations pertaining to river pollution in the state. On an earlier date of hearing on January 6, the issue regarding the collection and treatment of the additional sewage and solid waste that gets generated during religious congregations (Melas) was also discussed.

The court had then noted that though the affidavit filed on behalf of the Secretary of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, Government of UP contained details of the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Prayagraj, it did not state anything regarding the management of the additional sewage and solid waste.

Taking serious note of the attitude of authorities toward the issue, the court had then issued a slew of directions regarding the ongoing Magh Mela celebrations in the city.

On February 2, the petitioners further raised the issue of lack of connectivity of various residential houses in the city with the sewerage line and the issue of overflow of sewerage lines in Krishnapuri Colony.

Along with that, the issue of city administration's plans to take care of the migratory population in the city on different festivals was also discussed.

To this, the counsel for the respondent authorities requested the court to grant some time to examine the issues in detail and place a report before the court, to which the court acceded.

The matter will be next heard on February 22, 2023 at 2.00 PM.

Case Title: Re Ganga Pollution v. State of U.P. and others