Sangam Fit For ‘Aachman’: Yogi Adityanath Dismisses Faecal Report As Propaganda

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday refuted the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report, which stated that water at many places at the Mahakumbh was not conforming to the primary water quality for bathing with respect to the level of faecal coliform.

Stating that Triveni Sangam is fit to take a dip and perform aachman (drinking holy water), he slammed the opposition for spreading propaganda to malign Mahakumbh and Sanatan Dharma. 

His statement at the UP Assembly came as the National Green Tribunal rapped the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) and the Uttar Pradesh government for not submitting adequate details on faecal coliform and other water quality parameters, such as oxygen levels, in the Ganga at Prayagraj.

Yogi Adityanath Rejects Faecal Bacteria Report

“Questions are being raised about the quality of the water (at Triveni)… All the pipes and the drains in and around Sangam have been taped and the water is being released only after purification… The UP Pollution Control Board is continuously monitoring the water to maintain its quality… As per today’s reports, the amount of BOD near Sangam is less than 3mg/litre , and the Dissolved Oxygen had improved from 5 mg/litre to around 9 mg/litre. This means that the Sangam is water is suitable not just for bathing but also for ‘Aachman’… The reasons for increased faecal coliform can be several, such as sewage leakage and animal waste, but the amount of faecal coliform in Prayagraj is, as per the standards, less than 2,500 MPN per 100 ml… This means that the false campaign is only to defame the Maha Kumbh… The NGT has also said that the faecal waste was less than 2000 MPN per 100 ml…”

“This event is not organised by any particular party or organisation… This event is of the society, the government is there as a servant to complete its responsibilities… It is our good fortune that our government got the opportunity to associate with the Maha Kumbh of this century… The country and the world have participated in this event and have taken it to new heights of success, ignoring all the false campaigns.”

“They (Opposition) have been against the Maha Kumbh since day 1… In the last session, the discussions and preparations for the Maha Kumbh were underway… We would have discussed the plans and taken your suggestions, but you did not let the House run… The National President of the Samajwadi Party asked what was the need to spend money on the Maha Kumbh… The social media handles of the Samajwadi Party used language which any civilised society would not use… Lalu Yadav called the Kumbh ‘Faltu’. Another partner of the SP said the Maha Kumbh has become the ‘Mrityu Kumbh’… Congress, Samajwadi Party, RJD and TMC leaders made irresponsible statements… If organising events related to the Sanatana Dharma is a crime, then our government will keep committing that crime…”

“Any huge task has to go through three stages: mockery, opposition and acceptance. What can be the bigger example of acceptance that the SP chief (Akhilesh Yadav), who opposed it since the beginning, went there (Maha Kumbh) quietly and took the holy dip…,” the ANI reported, quoting the UP CM.

He further stated that making such baseless allegations against “Maa Ganga, India or the Mahahumbh” is like playing with the faith of the crores of people who have taken a holy dip at the ongoing mela in Prayagraj.

The report rocked the Assembly with only seven days left for the Mahakumb, where more than 56 crore devotees have taken a holy dip till Wednesday afternoon.

WHAT DID THE REPORT SAY

The CPCB report, filed on February 3, indicated a significant rise in faecal coliform bacteria during the mega congregation. It said that faecal coliform bacteria are present in the Ganga near Prayagraj above the safe limit of 2,500 units per 100 millilitres, hence, the river is dangerous for those entering it

The river water quality did not conform with the bathing criteria with respect to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) during monitoring carried out on January 12-13, an India Today report stated.

The pollution board attributed the increase in faecal concentration to huge number of people taking bath in Ganga during Mahakumbh, especially on auspicious days. “River water quality was not conforming with the primary water quality for bathing w.r.t. Faecal Coliform (FC) at all the monitored locations on various occasions. Huge number of people taking bath at Prayagraj during Mahakumbh Mela in river including auspicious bathing days which eventually leads to increase in faecal concentration,” the report stated.

The biochemical oxygen demand, which also indicates river water quality, also did not conform to the standards required for bathing during monitoring carried out on January 12-13.

While sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the area were generally operational, the report noted that contamination levels spiked during the Shahi Snans and other rituals, the report further stated.

THE UPPCB SUBMISSION

The UPPCB, in its report submitted to the NGT on February 18, stated that the executive engineer, UP Jal Nigam (urban), Prayagraj, vide his letter on February 15, informed that till date all the sludge is being accumulated in the geo-tubes only and sludge extraction will be done once the geo-tubes are fully filled. As per the analysis reports of STPs and geo-tubes, the parameters are found conforming to the prescribed norms. the Hindustan Times reported.

It further stated that the water quality monitoring data of dissolved oxygen,, biochemical oxygen demand and faecal coliform indicates that water quality of Ganga and Yamuna in Prayagraj is achieving the norms of primary water quality criteria for bathing water except at Shastri bridge, Prayagraj, where there is a slight increase in data of biochemical oxygen demand (3.1 to 3.2 mg/l) and faecal coliform (4600-3300 MPN/100 ml). “It is submitted that a coercive measure shall be taken against the concerned for the violation of environmental norms, as per law,” the report added, quoting the UPPCB.

The NGT has granted the state government a week to place on record the latest water quality analysis reports from different points of the river at the Mahakumbh Mela site in Prayagraj.