The Chief Minister of State of the Uttar Pradesh of India rejected a government report which found high levels of contamination in a key bath at Kumbh Mela, the largest global gathering.
The report indicates that the waters of Sangam – the confluence of the rivers considered saints by Hindu – in the city of Prayagraj had alarming levels of wastewater and untreated bacteria in human and animal excrement, which makes it improper In the bath.
On Wednesday, the chief minister Yogi Adityanath insisted that the water was not only able to bathe, but also to the Abachman – the Hindu ritual to drink a handful after the bath.
The authorities say that 565 million people have been bathed since the start of the festival on January 13.
The Kumbh Mela (also known as Mahakumbh) – takes place once every 12 years.
The Hindus believe that making a diving in Sangam – the confluence of the most sacred river in India with the Yamuna river and the legendary Saraswati – will clean them with sins, will purify their soul and help them reach salvation.
The Mela, which extends over six weeks, attracts faithful from all walks of life and around the world. Tens of millions were bathed daily in the rivers during the festival, which will end on February 26.
However, health activists and environmentalists expressed their concern about the quality of rivers during the festival.
Before the start of the MELA, the first Environmental Tribunal for India led the pollution control councils for federal governments and states to regularly monitor rivers and take adequate measures to maintain its quality.
But a report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of the Federal Government earlier this month said that the waters of the Ganges and Yamuna had high coliform levels.
The level of coliform is a key indicator of the presence of untreated wastewater and fecal bacteria in water.
The report indicates that the levels of coliforms in the Ganges were 1,400 times more than the acceptable limit, and in the Yamuna river, they were 660 times more.
The CPCB analyzed the water samples of the two rivers in five distinct days in January, but the levels of coliforms never complied with the standards, added the report.
Chief Minister Adityanath, however, insisted that his government continuously monitored water in the rivers to maintain its quality.
“All pipes and drains in and around Sangam have been recorded and water is released until purification,” he said.
“The reasons for the increase in fecal coliforms can be several, such as wastewater leaks and animal waste, but the quantity of fecal coliforms in Prayagraj is in accordance with standards,” he added.
He accused the opposition of leading a “false campaign” to defame the Kumbh Mela.
This is not the first time that the Uttar Pradesh government has been the subject of a meticulous examination for the way it has organized and managed the Kumbh Mela.
During one of the most favorable bathing days in January, at least 30 people died in a crush that took place near the Sangam.
On Sunday, another crush at New Delhi station – where thousands of faithful gathered to get on trains for Prayagraj – killed around 18 people.
