Preparing for Mahakumbh: Mega plan in place to tackle Ganga pollution in Kanpur

Mega preparations are on in Kanpur to maintain the cleanliness of the Ganga ahead of the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.
The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has developed a comprehensive plan to address the issue. Regional officer of board, Amit Mishra said that the initiative will focus on the biological treatment of a total of 14 drains of Kanpur discharging into the Ganga.
A 20 MLD combined effluent treatment plant (CETP) has been established to manage the effluent from tanneries, which will operate at full capacity. Further, the Jal Nigam (rural) is inspecting all sewage treatment plants (STPs) across the city and will report to the district magistrate every 15 days.
The issue of pollution in the Ganga due to untreated waste has been a significant concern in Kanpur for nearly a decade. The closure of the Sisamau drain was presented as a key step in the Ganga cleaning efforts. In 2019, during the last Kumbh, stringent measures were implemented against tanneries to prevent waste from contaminating the river before the major bathing festivals.
With the Mahakumbh approaching, the UPPCB is prepared to tackle the discharge of sewage and industrial waste into the Ganga. The initiative includes the biological treatment of 14 drains, ranging from small to large.
Smaller drains in Bithoor with less than 1 MLD of discharge will undergo biological treatment. In contrast, larger drains, such as those at Bhagwatdas Ghat, Dabka ghat, Massacre ghat, and Sattichauraha Ghat, with over 1 MLD discharge, will be subjected to bio-remediation.
The district magistrate has already sent a letter to the municipal corporation, and tenders for the bioremediation process will be issued shortly, said Mishra.
The Jal Nigam is actively inspecting all STPs and pumping stations in Kanpur, assessing the current condition of pumps, their requirements, and the need for standby pumps. The availability of backup generator sets is also being evaluated. Reports detailing the status of these inspections will be submitted to the district administration and UPPCB every two weeks.
CETP to operate at full capacity :
The CETP in Jajmau, designed for treating effluents from leather tanneries, has been operational since August 8, with a capacity of 20 MLD. The plant, along with its pumping stations, will be checked for deficiencies and will soon operate at full capacity following approval from the district magistrate.
Kanpur is among the top polluters of the Ganga, with domestic sewage accounting for a majority of the pollution. An official from Jal Nigam stated that the daily discharge of domestic sewage is approximately 450 MLD, with efforts underway to improve drainage systems before December.
“Kanpur has a sewage line spanning 1,370 km, while the requirement is 5,000 km. Currently, only 20% of the city’s population has sewage connections,” he noted, adding that out of 5.76 lakh households, only 1.15 lakh are connected to the sewage system.
The city has six sewage treatment plants: 130 and 43 MLD in Jajmau, 210 MLD in Bingawan, 42 MLD in Sajari, 30 MLD in Panka, and 15 MLD in Baniapur. The Baniapur plant is currently non-operational. The others are functioning at more than half their capacity.
Another official mentioned that work is on to bring these plants to full capacity.
“There is also a common effluent treatment plant of 20 MLD in Jajmau for treating tannery waste, with plans to operate it at full capacity,” he added.
Additionally, tanneries will receive a new roster by the end of November that they must adhere to strictly. At present, 250 tanneries are operational, and the roster mandates 15 days of work for each unit. Officials have not ruled out shutting down tannery operations until after the Mahakumbh, as was done during the Ardh Kumbh.