The Ex-Indian Police Service officer and political activist Amitabh Thakur, has filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) raising concerns over the non-implementation of the NGT’s order of December, 2024, regarding the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Thakur, has expressed concern over the non-implementation of NGT's guidelines, which were issued December, 2024, endangering the safety of the pilgrims.

In the case of Kamlesh Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh, the Tribunal, in December 2024, laid out a series of guidelines, which included the following:

• During the Maha Kumbh in order to have a better monitoring mechanism and to ensure that on account of the unwanted flow of untreated sewage in river Ganga and Yamuna, the pilgrims who come for holy bath may not suffer, the CPCB and UPPCB will increase their monitoring points and frequency of monitoring on river Ganga and Yamuna.
• The CPCB and UPCB will take the water samples from river Ganga and Yamuna from the points at least twice a week at regular intervals by avoiding duplicity of sample on the same day and will display the sample analysis report on the website of UPPCB and CPCB.

• Periodic samples will be collected by UPPCB, and CPCB at the outlet of STPs and advanced, oxidation ponds and the analytical reports be uploaded on website of UPPCB and CPCB. Apart from the above, the online monitoring data will also be uploaded.

Despite these clear and urgent instructions, the petitioner pointed out that the guidelines have not been implemented even after three weeks, putting pilgrims at significant risk.

The application emphasized that the matter holds significant importance and has far-reaching implications for the lives and safety of millions of Kumbh Yatris. It, therefore, sought directions to the Central Pollution Control Board and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to prominently display the sample analysis reports, along with corresponding links, on the main pages of their respective websites.

Case Details: Amitabh Thakur v. CBPC and others.

Source - News