The Maha Kumbh 2025 has brought to light critical environmental challenges facing the Ganga and its tributaries. 

• A report from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) revealed that the levels of faecal coliform and biochemical oxygen demand did not meet bathing standards.
• Further the NGT has criticized the UP government for failing to provide sufficient details regarding the water quality of the Ganga river during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.

Impact of Maha Kumbh Mela on Ganga Water Quality

• Since mid-January, approximately 45 crore visitors have attended the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
  • Many participants take ritual baths and consume river water.
• Faecal coliform levels on Makar Sankranti (January 14):
  • 11,000 units at Sangam Ghat (4 times the safe limit of 2,500 units).
  • 33,000 units at Old Naini Bridge Ghat.
• Faecal coliform levels on other days:
  • Dropped to 200 and 780 units, indicating fluctuations.
• CPCB also observed variations in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels.

Major Sources of Ganga river pollution

• Sewage: Untreated sewage from cities and towns along the river is the biggest contributor to pollution. 
  • Sewage contains organic matter, nutrients, toxic chemicals, and pathogens. 
• Industrial waste: Industrial waste from factories, tanneries, and other industries pollutes the river.
  • Industrial waste includes toxic chemicals like heavy metals and pesticides.
• Agricultural runoff: Excess water from agriculture runs into the river.
• Religious activities: Burning of bodies on wooden pyres contributes to pollution.
• Other sources: Solid waste from cities and towns that isn’t collected.
  • Barrages and dams that disrupt the river’s natural flow.

Impact of Ganga River System Pollution

• Water Quality Degradation: High levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), faecal coliform, and industrial effluents reduce water purity.
  • Central Pollution Control Board reports show that BOD levels exceed safe limits (3 mg/L) in many stretches of Ganga river, indicating organic pollution.
• Loss of Aquatic Biodiversity: Decline in fish populations, river dolphins, and other aquatic species due to oxygen depletion and toxic pollutants.
  • The Ganges river dolphin, an indicator species, is facing threat and is critically endangered due to high pollution and dam construction on Ganga river.
• Water Borne Diseases: Cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis spread due to faecal contamination.
• • Polluted rivers like the Ganga are  a major contributor of waterborne diseases in India.
• Soil Contamination: Irrigation with polluted Ganga water increases toxin accumulation in crops.
• • A study by IIT Kanpur found that farmland irrigated with Ganga water near Kanpur had elevated heavy metal levels like cadmium and lead, leading to long-term soil degradation.
• Reduced Crop Yield: High salinity and industrial waste affect fertility and productivity of agricultural lands.
  • Industrial waste leads to increased soil salinity, reducing crop productivity in states like Up and Bihar.
• Threat to Sacred Traditions: Rituals like Ganga Snan (holy bath) become hazardous due to poor water quality.
• • Bathing in the Ganga at certain locations is unsafe due to dangerously high bacterial contamination.
• Loss of Faith in River’s Purity: Pollution undermines the spiritual significance of the Ganga in Hindu traditions.
  • Despite government initiatives like Namami Gange, spiritual leaders and devotees continue to raise concerns about the deteriorating purity of the river.

Government Initiatives to Clean Ganga

• The Government of India launched the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) in 2014-15 to rejuvenate the Ganga River and its tributaries. 
  • The program initially had a budget of ₹20,000 crore for five years (till March 2021) and was later extended to March 2026 with ₹22,500 crore. 
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): NMCG was launched in 2011 to reduce pollution and ensure the ecological rejuvenation of the Ganga River.
• Ganga Action Plan (GAP): It was the  first major initiative to clean the Ganga River. It was launched in 1986.
• Ganga Gram: Launched in 2016 to develop villages along the Ganga River as model villages with improved sanitation and waste management.
• Ganga Vriksharopan Abhiyan: It is a tree plantation drive along the Ganga River to enhance the green cover and improve the river’s health.

Major Challenges in Cleaning Ganga and Its Tributaries

• Industrial Pollution: Unregulated discharge of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and dyes from tanneries, textile, and chemical industries.
• • The Kanpur-Unnao region in Uttar Pradesh hosts numerous tanneries that discharge untreated effluents containing heavy metals like chromium into the Ganges.
• Untreated Sewage and Wastewater: Over 3 billion liters of sewage generated daily, but treatment capacity is insufficient.
  • Varanasi, one of the most polluted stretches, generates over 350 million liters of sewage daily, but its treatment plants operate at less than 50% capacity.
• Solid Waste and Plastic Pollution: Large amounts of plastic, religious offerings, and urban waste dumped into the river.
  • Inefficient municipal waste management leads to garbage accumulation in tributaries.
• Agricultural Runoff: Excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides, and manure leads to high nitrate and phosphate levels, causing eutrophication.
  • A study published in the journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research highlighted that the Ganga basin has nitrate levels 2-3 times higher than the permissible limit due to excessive fertilizer use.
• Encroachment and Sand Mining: Illegal construction and encroachment on riverbanks reduce natural flow and increase sedimentation.
  •  In Uttarakhand, illegal sand mining has disrupted the riverbed, affecting aquatic life. .
• Religious and Cultural Practices: Immersion of idols, flowers, and ashes releases toxic chemicals and non-biodegradable waste.
  • In Kumbh Mela, over 45 crore people have gathered, leading to a temporary spike in pollution levels. 
• Poor Coordination Between Agencies: Multiple agencies (NMCG, state governments, municipal bodies) work without proper coordination.
• Climate Change & Reduced Water Flow: Glacier retreat and erratic monsoons affect the river’s natural cleansing ability.
  • Gangotri Glacier, which feeds the Ganga, is retreating at a rate of 22 meters per year, reducing the river’s flow and its natural ability to dilute pollutants.

Way Forward

• Strict Enforcement of Pollution Control Laws: Ensure strict compliance with the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) and Namami Gange Programme.
  • Ganga Action Plan (GAP): Launched in 1986, GAP aimed to reduce pollution in the Ganga. However, its implementation has been inconsistent. 
  • Namami Gange Programme: Launched in 2014 with a budget of ₹20,000 crore, it has achieved mixed results. 
• Expansion of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs): Increase the number and efficiency of STPs along the river.
  • The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) targets a sewage treatment capacity of 7,000 MLD around the Ganga by December 2026. 
• Strict Monitoring of Tanneries & Factories: Particularly in Kanpur, Varanasi, and Patna, where industrial pollution is high.
  • In 2021, the NGT imposed a fine of ₹10 crore on tanneries in Kanpur for failing to comply with effluent treatment norms. Despite the presence of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), many tanneries bypass the treatment process and discharge untreated wastewater into the river.
• Ban & Regulate Plastic Waste: Implement a strict ban on single-use plastics near Ganga and its Tributaries.
  • In 2021, the Uttarakhand government banned single-use plastics, but enforcement remains weak.
• Use of AI & IoT for Pollution Monitoring: Deploy smart sensors for real-time water quality monitoring.
  • The NMCG has operationalized an online dashboard named “PRAYAG” for continuous monitoring of river water quality along the Ganga and Yamuna rivers.
• Green Infrastructure Projects: Develop sustainable riverfronts with sewage management and eco-friendly facilities.
  • The Sabarmati Riverfront in Gujarat is a successful model of sustainable riverfront development.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): Engage private firms in water treatment and waste management.