– Akilesh Tripathi
Following the National Green Tribunal’s investigation report showing that the Ganga’s water in Prayagraj is not fit for consumption, and Radiance News bringing this issue to light, the UP government has found itself on the backfoot. In response, the BJP government has taken action in its defence and has removed the Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Environment of UP from their position.
Next year, the grand Mahakumbh is set to take place in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, but the Ganga and Yamuna rivers here are flowing with polluted water. Mahakumbh takes place on the riverbanks, where holy saints, Naga sadhus, Shankaracharyas, religious leaders, and members of the Akhada Parishad take a sacred dip in the river water, and perform rituals using the water for worship. Since all religious activities are conducted in the holy waters, it is essential that these rivers flow with clean and pure water, and it is the responsibility of the state government to ensure this.
The responsibility to organise next year’s Mahakumbh in Prayagraj and to provide pure water lies with the BJP government of UP. However, instead of fulfilling this duty, the BJP government is focusing on divisive rhetoric about Hindus and Muslims. They are attempting to create issues by encouraging certain supporters in Akhada Parishad to call for banning the entry of Muslims and preventing Muslim businesses from participating in Mahakumbh. Meanwhile, the government is also working to hide the real issue of polluted water in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
If the impurity of these waters becomes widely known, religious figures such as saints, Naga sadhus, Shankaracharyas, and members of the Akhada Parishad may choose to boycott the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. This could result in a major embarrassment for the BJP government, potentially exposing their pseudo-Hinduism. If this happens, the BJP’s stance on Hinduism might be revealed as hollow, and religious leaders across the country could distance themselves from the party.
With Radiance News reporting on this issue, the UP government has been put on the defensive. In response, the BJP government has now removed the state’s Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Environment from their position.
The Yogi government is engaged in covering up the issue of polluted water flowing into the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj. However, the NGT report has exposed the BJP government’s shortcomings. On November 6, the NGT bench led by its Chairperson, Justice Prakash Srivastava, highlighted the situation through its order. The bench stated that “the water of the Ganges in Prayagraj is no longer even suitable for sipping (a traditional act of purification).” Sewage waste is entering the Ganges through 25 open drains and the Yamuna through 15 open drains in the district. According to the report submitted by the UP government, there is a shortfall of 128 million litters per day (MLD) in sewage treatment in Prayagraj district.
Following the release of the NGT report and a report from Radiance News, the Yogi government has been put on the defensive. In a swift response to cover up its shortcomings and failures, the state government promptly removed Manoj Singh, the Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary of Environment and Forests, from his position overnight. The government was so displeased with him that he was not given any new posting and was placed in the waiting list.
Subsequently, the Yogi government issued a statement at night, promising that the state government would make the Ganges water fit for sipping before the Mahakumbh. Immediate strong steps would be taken to prevent dirty drains from flowing into the Ganges.
According to sources, the government has planned to release more water from upstream to reduce pollution in the Ganges. Where STPs are installed, steps will be taken to keep them operational continuously. Strict action will be taken against concerned officers and employees if negligence is found in this matter.
The first bath of the Mahakumbh is set to begin on January 14-15, 2025.
A meeting was held in Prayagraj on Tuesday, chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, to discuss controlling the polluted water flowing into the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. Manoj Kumar Singh said, “The NGT has suddenly changed the standards, so the river water does not meet the new standards. We are not yet prepared for NGT’s new standards, and no guidelines have been issued by the central government regarding the new standards either. During the Mahakumbh, the water of the Ganga at the Sangam and other locations will remain pure, and pilgrims will receive clean water.”
In a high-power committee meeting chaired by Manoj Kumar Singh, officials reported that a total of 39 drains are currently discharging directly into rivers. Plans have been made to tap these and install STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants), with 22 already approved. The remaining 17 drains will be tapped using Mahakumbh funds, and construction of STPs for these is also underway.
If everything is in order, why was Environment Secretary Manoj Singh suddenly removed from his position overnight? And why has he been kept on hold without a new appointment? The Chief Secretary’s assertion that they are not ready for the new standards raises questions that put the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh on the defensive. These issues also cast doubt on their claims of providing pure water in the Ganga during the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj within a short timeframe.
