DEHRADUN: Failures in sewage management under the Namami Gange programme have contributed to a sharp rise in pollution in the Ganga, with total coliform levels increasing 32-fold between Devprayag and Haridwar, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit.
The audit, covering 2018 to 2023, found that untreated sewage was flowing into the Ganga and its tributaries from 12 of the 37 sewage treatment plants (STPs) examined. In seven towns, 21 plants had no household connections and remained underused. Some plants also lacked adequate treatment capacity, while poor tapping of drains allowed sewage to flow directly into the river.
The report said district Ganga committees in Srinagar, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Dehradun and Haridwar had not prepared river-basin management plans.
The state spent Rs 55.08 crore on sewage development, but no funds were spent on expanding sewerage systems in towns along the Ganga. Several STPs were also found to be non-compliant with National Green Tribunal standards.
Household connections remained low in several towns. In Srinagar, only 797 of 6,523 households (12.22 per cent) were connected to the sewer network. In Chamoli-Gopeshwar, the figure was 354 of 5,510 households (6.42 per cent), while in Gyanasu, Uttarkashi, 572 of 6,089 households (9.39 per cent) had connections.
The Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan had refused to take over Srinagar’s STP, citing deficiencies, the report said.
Coverage was also incomplete in the plains. In Haridwar, 47,728 of 68,802 households (69.37 per cent) were connected to the sewer network. Across Rishikesh, Tapovan and Muni Ki Reti, only 9,966 of 34,756 households (28.67 per cent) had sewer connections.
The CAG said sewage treatment plants must be supported by household connections to the sewer network to ensure that sewage is collected and treated.
The audit compared a decade of water-quality data from Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar and Devprayag. By October 2023, total coliform levels had increased around 32 times along the 93-km stretch between the two locations. The report identified the discharge of untreated sewage into the river as a major cause.
Senior chemist Professor P P Badoni said bacteriophage levels from Dharasu to Gangotri had been recorded at 1,100 per cent, describing the organisms as beneficial in making water safe. He said residential activity was relatively limited between Devprayag and Rishikesh, adding that sewage from hotels and restaurants could contribute to rising coliform levels.