NGT Demands Detailed Water Quality Data for Ganga’s West Bengal Stretch

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to submit a detailed report with primary data on the water quality of the Ganga river's West Bengal segment. This directive, issued on October 8, 2025, by the NGT's Principal Bench, addresses concerns about severe bacteriological pollution. The CPCB must disclose, within four weeks, detailed data on indicators like E. coli and various coliforms, crucial for assessing contamination. The West Bengal government has sought six more weeks to submit its own detailed report.

This move underscores the alarming state of the river's water quality in its end stretch. Environmentalists, including activist Subhas Datta, attribute the deterioration to factors like untreated drainage and sewage water, industrial pollutants, and inadequate dredging. Datta highlighted that many STPs in the state are non-operational or defunct, with major cities like Kolkata and Howrah being significant polluters.

A CPCB report submitted to the NGT confirmed these deficiencies: out of 42 STPs in West Bengal's Ganga towns, 11 were found non-operational and 24 were non-complying with NGT norms. Furthermore, 14 STPs did not meet the treated sewage discharge norms of the Ministry of Environment. These findings reinforce the necessity of the NGT's demand for comprehensive water quality data before the next hearing on November 28.