Not just faecal bacteria, Sangam water at Maha Kumbh contains high levels of BOD, ’unsafe’ for dip: Govt data

The Ganga water at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, where millions of people are taking a holy dip during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, has been deemed unsafe for bathing due to elevated levels of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), a critical parameter for assessing water quality.

Government data shows that the BOD exceeds the prescribed limit, PTI reported.

What did BOD mean?

BOD measures the oxygen aerobic microorganisms required to decompose organic material in water. A higher BOD level indicates increased organic content, making the water unsuitable for bathing. Water is considered safe for bathing when the BOD level is below 3 milligrams per litre.

The Central Pollution Control Board recently told the National Green Tribunal that several locations in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj do not conform to the primary water quality standards for bathing regarding faecal coliform levels.

Also Read: What is faecal bacteria, contaminating Maha Kumbh’s Sangam waters? All you need to know, from risks to side-effects

However, it said that the river water quality met the bathing criteria for BOD after January 13 “due to freshwater intrusion at upstream locations.”

Government data shows that the river water at Sangam currently exceeds the safe limit for BOD as well.

The BOD level at Sangam was 5.09 milligrams per litre at 5 am on February 16. It was recorded at 4.6 milligrams per litre at 5 pm on February 18 and 5.29 milligrams per litre at 8 am on Wednesday, February 19.

Also Read: CM Yogi Adityanath refutes high faecal coliform claim, says Sangam water ‘fit to take a dip, drink from’

According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the BOD level at Sangam was 3.94 milligrams per litre on January 13, when the Maha Kumbh started.

It improved to 2.28 milligrams per litre on Makar Sankranti (January 14) and further dropped to 1 milligram per litre on January 15.

Also Read: Mahakumbh 2025: Devotion and health at crossroads — can world’s largest religious gathering avoid crisis?

However, it rose to 4.08 milligrams per litre on January 24 and was recorded at 3.26 milligrams per litre on Mauni Amavasya (January 29). According to Uttar Pradesh government officials, 10,000 to 11,000 cusecs of water are being released into the Ganga to ensure it meets bathing standards.

Maha Kumbh 2025

The Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will conclude on February 26, Maha Shivaratri day. Over 54 crore people have taken a dip in the holy waters of Triveni Sangam so far.

Mahakumbh Nagar is the world's largest temporary city, accommodating 50 lakh to 1 crore devotees at any given time.

Also Read: A cleaner Ganga: NDA’s unfulfilled promise

These pilgrims generate at least 16 million litres of faecal waste and 240 million litres of greywater daily from cooking, washing, and bathing.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh told reporters on Sunday that the rise in footfalls is due to the government's success in improving river water quality and sanitation since the 2019 Ardh Kumbh.

"Before 2019, there would be no toilets at Kumbh. Officials would earmark an area with a red flag, provide tents, and open defecation used to take place.

"For the first time in 2019, we built 1.14 lakh individual toilets with Sintex (plastic) tanks underneath to collect wastewater and excreta. Desludging would be done every two-three days and the faecal sludge would be taken to open oxidation ponds far away. This time, we have constructed 1.5 lakh individual toilets and two faecal sludge treatment plants," he said.

Singh added that a 200 km-long temporary drainage network had been set up to connect treatment facilities.

"Sanitation is a big hallmark (of Kumbh arrangements), and those who have been to Kumbh previously can distinctly see the difference," he said.

Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People (SANDRP), said the state government has been highly irresponsible in claiming that no harm has come to people who have bathed in the river, despite the water being unfit for bathing.

"It is the government's moral duty to provide clean water for bathing. When the water is not safe, there is always a high risk of infection," he said.

Here's what the National Green Tribunal report said…

The National Green Tribunal was informed on Monday, through a report by the CPCB, that various locations in Prayagraj during the ongoing Mahakumbh were not conforming to the primary water quality for bathing with respect to the level of faecal coliform, PTI reported.

Faecal coliform, a marker of sewage contamination, has a permissible limit of 2,500 units per 100 ml, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Since 2015, India’s rivers have become even more polluted. In 2015, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) identified 302 polluted stretches of more than 12,000km in rivers across the country.

These included 51 heavily polluted stretches, where water was particularly hazardous. By 2018, this had increased to 351 polluted stretches, with 61 heavily polluted.

(With inputs from agencies)