Maha Kumbh – Managing River Ganga’s Cleanliness

January 9, 2025

The Maha Kumbh Mela, set to commence on February 13, 2025, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is anticipated to attract around 450 million pilgrims over 44 days. This monumental gathering poses challenges, particularly regarding the cleanliness of the Ganga River, where devotees seek to take holy dips. The government has initiated measures to tackle the pollution in the river, but concerns remain about the water quality during the event.

About Maha Kumbh

Maha Kumbh is held every 12 years; the 2025 event starts on January 13 and ends on February 26. In the 2013 Maha Kumbh, 12 crore pilgrims attended the event. The event is being promoted as a global example for managing large-scale religious gatherings sustainably.

Massive Pilgrimage and Attendance Estimates

The Maha Kumbh is expected to witness an unprecedented footfall. It is one of the largest religious congregations in India, with an estimated 40 crore visitors and 50 lakh pilgrims and sadhus staying in camps for the entire duration. Approximately five million pilgrims, referred to as ‘Kalpvasis,’ will reside in the mela area throughout the event. This population is nearly 20 times that of Prayagraj. Four main bathing days are predicted to draw up to 50 million people each, resulting in an immense increase in sewage generation.

Sewage Management Challenges

On peak days, the sewage generated could reach approximately 16.44 million litres. This figure is in addition to the city’s daily sewage output of 471.93 million litres. According to estimates, Until recently, untreated sewage was being discharged directly into the Ganga, exacerbating pollution concerns. The Uttar Pradesh government, under pressure from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has committed to improving sewage treatment processes.

Current Sewage Treatment Infrastructure

Prayagraj generates 471.92 million litres of sewage daily. Of this, 293 million litres flow into 81 drains connected to the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. The remaining 178.31 million litres enter the sewage network linked to ten sewage treatment plants (STPs), which have a combined capacity of 390 million litres per day. Currently, 37 of the 81 drains are connected to STPs, treating 216.17 million litres of sewage.

Projected Sewage Increases During Kumbh

During the Maha Kumbh, the sewage output is expected to increase by 10%, raising the total sewage entering the STPs to 237 million litres. However, the total sewage from the network and drains will surpass the STPs’ capacity by 43 million litres. The government plans to treat 60.80 million litres of sewage on-site from 22 drains, while the remaining 15.23 million litres will soon connect to STPs.

Water Flow Management for Pollution Control

To enhance the Ganga’s water quality, increased water flow is essential. Since December 15, the Tehri Dam has been releasing 2,000 cusecs of water daily into the Ganga. Additional releases from various barrages aim to elevate the river’s water level, facilitating natural pollution reduction. This strategy, however, is a temporary measure and does not address the long-term pollution issues.

Sanitation Infrastructure

A total of 1.45 lakh toilets have been installed. A many as 15,000 fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) toilets with septic tanks and 22,000 prefabricated steel toilets with septic tanks were installed.
Special tent-type toilets have also been set up for religious camps.
A 200-km temporary drainage system was built for greywater.

The Kumbh Mela occurs every 12 years at four locations.
Prayagraj was formerly known as Allahabad.
Ganga is considered the holiest river in Hinduism.
Kalpvasis are permanent residents during the Kumbh.
NGT stands for National Green Tribunal, a judicial body.

Long-term Solutions Needed for River Health

Addressing the Ganga’s pollution requires sustainable efforts beyond the Kumbh. Continuous monitoring of biological oxygen demand and water quality is essential. The government’s commitment to improving sewage treatment and river flow needs to be translated into effective action to ensure the river remains clean and healthy for future generations.

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