New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) The quality of Ganga water, monitored at 10 locations near Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh, was up to the stipulated standards for bathing during the mega event, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav told Parliament on Monday.

As per a report of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) dated February 28, median value of pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen demand (BOD) and Faecal Coliform (FC) for all the monitored locations on the Ganga was within the respective criteria/permissible limits for bathing water, the minister said in reply to questions.

The Minister was replying to questions from Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadauriya and Congress member from Kerala K. Sudhakaran who asked if the CPCB had informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently that the quality of water at the confluence of river Ganga and Yamuna at Prayagraj, during the Maha Kumbh, had failed to meet the primary standards for bathing.

The Minister said before the February 28 report, the CPCB submitted its initial monitoring report dated February 3 before NGT wherein the river water quality data collected at seven locations during January 12–26 was reported.

Yadav said later the CPCB added three more water quality monitoring locations and the monitoring frequency was increased to twice daily with effect from February 21 to augment availability of more comprehensive water quality data, thus, taking the total number of water quality monitoring locations to 10.

Hinting at the better reliability of data used in the February 28 report of CPCB, the Minister pointed out that the frequency of sample collection was increased to twice a day from twice a week used for collecting data incorporated in the February 3 report.

For the February 3 report, the CPCB carried out regular water quality monitoring at seven locations (twice a week) in the stretch from Shringverpur ghat (upstream of Prayagraj) to Deehaghat (downstream of Prayagraj) including at Sangam nose (confluence point of river Ganga and Yamuna) since January 12, 2025 covering auspicious bathing (Amrit Snan) days, including pre and post days of such auspicious bathing days, he said.

Highlighting the measures taken by the state government to ensure bathing quality water in the Ganga for the event, the Minister said 10 STPs were installed to treat wastewater ensuring that effluents meet environmental standards before being released and 7 geotubes were installed as interim remedial measure for wastewater treatment of 21 untapped drains.

He said three pre-fabricated temporary STPs were installed, each with capacity of 500 KLD in the Mela area and three Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) with total capacity 200 KLD (100 KLD, 50 KLD, 50 KLD) were installed.

He said the UP Jal Nigam used advanced oxidation techniques to treat wastewater, preventing untreated water from entering the Ganga.

–IANS

rch/pgh