New Delhi: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has submitted its new report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). CPCB told NGT that the river water in Mahakumbh was worth bathing. The report used statistical analysis. Because there was a difference between samples of water at different places and time. Therefore these samples did not show the quality of the entire river. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has submitted its new report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). This report assessed the water quality of the river during the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. The board’s report on February 28 was uploaded on the NGT website on March 7. The board has monitored five places on the Ganges River and two places on the Yamuna River since January 12, from January 12 till now. The report said, ‘Various dates taken from the same place on various dates such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and featured colony count (FC) have seen significant changes in the magnitude. The quantity of the above parameters for samples collected on the same day also vary at different places.
What is in the report?
- According to the report, the amount of oxygen in the water or the DO, the amount of oxygen required to fragment organic materials in water, and the indicator of sewage contamination FC are the major indicators of water quality.
- The report stated that an expert committee examined the issue of ‘conversion in data’ and said that ‘the figure reflects the immediate position of water quality and the immediate situation of water quality and it can be quite different on the basis of many other factors.
- The report stated, “As a result, these values reflect water quality parameters at the exact time and place from where these water samples were collected, and they cannot fully display the overall characteristics of the river, therefore, it is not necessary that they display overall water quality throughout the river.”
- The report also stated that due to variability, statistical analysis of water quality data of various monitoring locations for major parameters was done from January 12 to February 22 at 10 locations of ‘collective baths’ and 20 rounds were monitored.
- The report stated that, ‘it has been presented that according to the above statistical analysis, the average magnitude of PH, DO, BOD and FC for the monitoring segments (central trend of data) is within the relevant criteria/permissible limits.’
- According to the report, the average magnitude of FC was 1,400, while the acceptable limit was 2,500 units per 100, while the DO was 8.7 against the prescribed standard of more than five mg per liter, and the BOD was 2.56 against the prescribed limit of less than 3 mg per liter or a fixed limit.
- The CPCB informed the NGT in a report on 17 February that the level of fee, the level of fecal coliform at various places in Prayagraj during Mahakumbh, did not suit the primary water quality for bathing. The NGT will next hear the case on 7 April.
