Prayagraj on the Verge of an Epidemic after Kumbh | 26 Apr 2019

• The NGT has reported the sad state of solid waste management during the months-long religious gathering of Kumbh.

Issues raised

• Inadequate sewage treatment plant in the city to treat such a large amount of solid waste. The NGT report said 60,000 metric tonnes (mt) of the untreated solid waste get collected at the Baswar solid waste treatment plant. Out of this, 18,000 mt wastes was generated at the Kumbh Mela even as the plant was not operational since September 2018.
  • The inadequate sewage treatment capacity of the district—around 254 million liters per day (MLD)—is not enough to tackle half of the sewage generated during the Mela.
• Issue of dirty water from toilets was being collected in kutcha pits. It will impact the groundwater quality, environment as well as human health.
• The NGT report predicted a rise in cases of acute diarrhea, enteric fever, viral hepatitis, and cholera.
• Pucca constructions were being raised at flood plains.
• No effective planning for the protection of the environment and pollution control was made for the Maha Kumbh Mela.
• Raised the question over the use of geo-tube technology for filtering sewage waste before letting it enter the river, which has failed to solve the problem of solid waste.
• Based on the findings of the report the NGT has pulled up the state administration over the inadequate arrangement, poor management of the event.