National Green Tribunal
M C Mehta vs Union Of India on 22 December, 2025
Item No. 20 Court No.
1
BEFORE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI
Original Application No. 200/2014
(I.A. No. 340/2022, M.A. Nos. 480/2018,
872/2018 & 875/2014)
M. C. Mehta Applicant
Versus
Union of India & Ors.
Respondent(s)
Date of hearing: 22.12.2025
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON
HON'BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER
Applicant: Ms. Katyayni, Adv. for Applicant
Respondent: Ms. Madhumita Bhattacharjee & Ms. Srija, Advs. for the State of West
Bengal
Ms. Suman Arora, Adv. for CPCB (Through VC)
Mr. Gigi. C. George & Mr. Sunil Kumar, Advs. for NMCG
ORDER
1. In this Original Application (OA), the Tribunal is considering the issue of prevention and control of pollution in River Ganga and the matter is being taken up State-wise from where River Ganga or its tributary is flowing.
2. Today, the matter is taken up in respect of the status and compliance in the State of West Bengal.
3. The CPCB has filed the report dated 25.11.2025 enclosing therewith the status of water quality of River Ganga.
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4. Page 44137 of the report discloses water quality data of River Ganga in West Bengal in reference to Faecal Coliform and the said disclosure is as under:
Water quality data of river Ganga, West Bengal (FC) Sr. Station name January February March April May June No I II I II I II I II I II I II
1. FARAKKA, MUSHIDABAD 790 1100 230 330 310 240 240 140 350 280 330 490
2. KHAGRA, BEHARAMPORE 1700 790 460 330 490 350 540 540 540 920 790 1300
3. BEHARAMPORE 5400 5400 3500 5400 3500 2400 5400 5400 5400 5400 3500 3500
4. GORABAZAR, BEHRAMPORE 2400 3500 2400 2400 2800 2400 2400 2200 2400 3500 2400 2200 NABADIP,GHOSHPARA NEAR 1100 1300 490 790 1100 920 790 700 790 1300 1100 1100
5. MONIPURGHAT
6. TRIBENI, NEAR BURNING GHAT 1300 790 700 790 940 540 920 540 920 1700 1400 1300
7. SHITALATALA, PALTA 5400 3500 9200 5400 2400 1700 1300 1400 2400 2200 2400 2400
8. PALTA 3500 3500 5400 3500 3500 5400 3500 3500 5400 2400 3500 5400
9. SERAMPORE 13000 7900 11000 7900 11000 9400 11000 11000 7900 14000 11000 7900
10. DAKSHINESHWAR 49000 21000 47000 49000 70000 46000 47000 33000 32000 49000 33000 63000
11. GARDEN REACH 40000 47000 70000 79000 58000 79000 47000 49000 63000 240000 84000 79000
12. SHIVPUR (HOWRAH) 22000 26000 33000 63000 40000 33000 11000 17000 40000 130000 49000 39000
13. ULUBERIA 9400 11000 17000 14000 14000 7800 11000 13000 14000 17000 14000 11000
14. DIAMOND HARBOUR 790 790 2200 2300 1100 1200 1300 1100 920 2100 2400 1300
15. PATIKALI 7000 7000 4900 4600 13000 7000 7900 7000 7000 9400 11000 7900 Water quality data of river Ganga, West Bengal (FC) Sr. Station name July August September October November December No I II I II I II I II I II I II
1. FARAKKA,MUSHIDABAD 460 490 790 230 920 490 790 790 790 790 490 490
2. KHAGRA, BEHARAMPORE 790 700 490 230 790 1300 790 1100 920 790 790 790
3. BEHARAMPORE 3500 1700 2200 790 1400 2400 5400 3500 2400 1300 1300 1700
4. GORABAZAR, BEHRAMPORE 1700 1100 790 330 1700 1700 2200 1700 1400 1300 1400 1100
5. NABADIP,GHOSHPARA 1100 790 790 1700 1700 2400 1300 1700 1300 1100 790 1300 NEAR MONIPURGHAT
6. TRIBENI, NEAR BURNING 1100 790 1300 790 1700 1700 2400 1400 790 1300 700 790 GHAT
7. SHITALATALA, PALTA 2200 2200 1300 2400 3500 3500 5400 5400 3500 2400 3500 3500
8. PALTA 2800 2400 1700 5400 5400 9200 5400 5400 5400 3500 2400 2800
9. SERAMPORE 13000 7000 7000 7900 11000 14000 14000 17000 14000 11000 7900 9400
10. DAKSHINESHWAR 33000 31000 79000 33000 23000 33000 49000 49000 17000 32000 21000 11000
11. GARDEN REACH 47000 58000 33000 33000 23000 79000 79000 32000 27000 49000 26000 17000
12. SHIVPUR (HOWRAH) 32000 40000 11000 21000 21000 27000 33000 23000 4500 40000 17000 13000
13. ULUBERIA 9200 4900 2300 4900 7800 6100 14000 11000 8400 27000 9400 7800
14. DIAMOND HARBOUR 1700 2100 3300 1100 1300 1300 9200 13000 1100 1300 1300 1100
15. PATIKALI 11000 13000 13000 11000 7000 9400 17000 13000 14000 13000 11000 11000
5. It has been submitted by Counsel for the applicant that the permissible limit for faecal coliform is 250. The above disclosure reveals that the faecal coliform is much higher than the permissible limit and at some places like Garden Reach in May it has crossed 2,40,000.
6. Similarly, the disclosure has been made in respect of the Faecal streptococci at different locations as under:
Water quality data of river Ganga, West Bengal (FS) 2 Sr. Station name January February March April May June No I II I II I II I II I II I II
1. FARAKKA, MUSHIDABAD 49 79 13 23 33 23 23 17 23 23 33 33
2. KHAGRA, BEHARAMPORE 70 49 31 33 23 33 33 49 46 70 70 49
3. BEHARAMPORE 460 790 490 460 330 460 490 460 490 700 460 790
4. GORABAZAR, 310 230 330 230 310 230 330 490 330 460 490 330 BEHRAMPORE
5. NABADIP,GHOSHPARA 94 79 33 70 79 70 110 70 49 70 70 63 NEAR MONIPURGHAT
6. TRIBENI, NEAR BURNING 79 70 79 70 70 49 70 33 46 79 63 94 GHAT
7. SHITALATALA, PALTA 490 460 330 330 230 230 130 230 330 330 460 230
8. PALTA 330 330 230 330 490 330 460 490 460 460 330 310
9. SERAMPORE 790 790 940 700 790 940 790 790 940 700 490 790
10. DAKSHINESHWAR 580 470 700 580 840 940 840 1100 940 1100 1100 1200
11. GARDEN REACH 400 460 700 790 940 1100 1100 940 1300 1300 1100 1300
12. SHIVPUR (HOWRAH) 330 400 460 630 790 330 790 700 1100 1100 940 840
13. ULUBERIA 230 270 330 220 630 790 630 700 790 630 490 340
14. DIAMOND HARBOUR 21 23 27 23 79 130 110 130 110 200 170 110
15. PATIKALI 240 220 200 170 490 490 330 230 460 460 460 330 Water quality data of river Ganga, West Bengal (FS) Sr. Station name July August September October November December No. I II I II I II I II I II I II
1. FARAKKA, 23 33 79 33 79 70 79 110 70 63 45 49 MUSHIDABAD
2. KHAGRA, BEHARAMPORE 70 46 70 23 49 110 79 70 79 110 79 94
3. BEHARAMPORE 700 330 230 230 230 490 460 490 460 330 230 330
4. GORABAZAR, 230 170 220 130 330 310 460 310 330 230 310 230 BEHRAMPORE
5. NABADIP,GHOSHPARA 63 33 130 130 170 240 170 130 170 130 110 170 NEAR MONIPURGHAT
6. TRIBENI, NEAR BURNING 110 79 110 79 79 110 140 130 170 78 78 130 GHAT
7. SHITALATALA, PALTA 330 230 230 330 460 700 490 700 790 230 310 430
8. PALTA 330 330 170 310 430 490 460 790 630 460 330 460
9. SERAMPORE 700 790 700 490 790 1100 1100 940 790 790 700 790
10. DAKSHINESHWAR 840 940 1400 2400 5400 2400 5400 1700 1700 2400 1700 790
11. GARDEN REACH 940 1100 790 3500 2400 5400 2800 2200 3500 2800 2200 1300
12. SHIVPUR (HOWRAH) 700 790 700 2400 1700 3500 5400 1300 3500 1100 1400 1100
13. ULUBERIA 270 490 490 400 130 260 1300 330 470 330 630 460
14. DIAMOND HARBOUR 230 220 78 490 460 490 580 700 210 320 490 330
15. PATIKALI 460 490 490 330 330 490 390 490 790 490 330 460
7. It has been submitted by Counsel for the applicant that there should be zero presence of FS whereas at all the places during the entire period the samples have found to be violating the norms and in Dakshineshwar it has been found to be 5400 in September and October.
8. CPCB classification for Inland surface water as per primary water quality criteria for out door bathing (organised) is as follows:
Faecal Coliform (FC) 500 MPN/100ml (Desirable) ≤ 2500 MPN/100ml (Max. Permissible).
Faecal Streptococci (FS) 100 MPN/100ml (Desirable) ≤ 500 MPN/100ml (Max. Permissible).
9. Water quality data of River Ganga in west Bengal indicates that 160 samples out of total 360 (55.6%) do not qualify the prescribed standards of 3 Faecal Coliform and that 109 samples out of total 360 (30.61%) do not qualify the prescribed standards of Faecal Streptococci. The ratio of Faecal Coliform (FC) to Faecal Streptococci (FS) helps determine the source of contamination (human vs animal).
10. The NMCG has also filed the reply affidavit dated 27.11.2025 reflecting upon the high values of Faecal Coliform and Faecal streptococci reported by the CPCB as under:
"xxxx...................xxxx......................xxxx...................xxxx
15. That as regards the water quality of River Ganga particularly with regards to Fecal Coliform as well as Fecal Streptococci that has been reported by CPCB to be exceeding permissible values, it is humbly submitted that higher levels of Fecal Coliform have been a Concern for NMCG as well. NMCG has taken the matter with the SMCG West Bengal and approved the projects for installations of disinfection units in all existing STPs devoid of disinfection system. NMCG has sanctioned projects to SMCG West Bengal for installation of chlorination unit in 10 existing STPs of West Bengal."
11. The NMCG has made the following suggestions in the report:
"xxxx..................xxxx....................xxxx.......................xxxx
17. That it is humbly submitted for consideration of this Hon'ble Tribunal that State Government of West Bengal, ULBs, the Irrigation & Waterways Department, KMDA, KMC, may kindly be directed to work in an integrated and coordinated manner to ensure the following:
(i) Intermixing of storm water and sewage due to incomplete sewer networks, illegal household/industrial connections, and absence of flow segregation systems is effectively prevented;
(ii) Desilting of storm water drains/khals/Canals, restoring of their cross-sections and addressing of water quality concerns by arresting all sewage/sullage outfalls discharging into the Canal/storm water drains;
(iii) Adequate maintenance, timely repair and proper functioning of the Canal lock-gate and weir gate systems are ensured to maintain hydraulic performance and prevent stagnation;
(iv) All encroachments, illegal constructions and physical obstruction along natural khals/canals which reduce their carrying capacity and causes water-logging or stagnation are identified and removed in time bound manner;
(v) Stringent enforcement of municipal by-laws, environmental norms, and prohibitions on illegal sewer connections is undertaken by concerned authorities; and
(vi) Drainage Master Plans are mandatorily prepared for all Ganga Front Towns in the State and are aligned with future urban growth and climate resilience parameters and the objective of preventing pollution of the river system."4
12. In spite of the above and in spite of the repeated opportunities the State of West Bengal is not filing the report before the Tribunal.
13. Learned Counsel for the applicant has pointed out that the last report was filed by the Additional Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal on 01.07.2025 which was considered by the Tribunal in the proceedings dated 04.07.2025 and the Tribunal noticing the deficiencies and gap in the disclosure made in the report had directed as under:
"xxxx.................xxxx......................xxxx....................xxxx
6.We direct that deficiencies and gaps noticed from disclosure made in the report of West Bengal and of CPCB be responded to by way of affidavit by the Chief Secretary, West Bengal, Director General, NMCG and CPCB before next hearing for West Bengal."
14. Thereafter when the matter was listed on 08.10.2025 and a letter was circulated by the Learned Counsel for the State of West Bengal, therefore, it was adjourned. The matter was listed on 28.11.2025 and a letter was again circulated by the State of West Bengal and the matter was adjourned. Today again a letter has been circulated by the Learned Counsel for the West Bengal seeking adjournment.
15. Such repeated adjournments cannot be granted especially in a case where there is clear non-compliance by the State of West Bengal. The requisite remedial action at the ground level is required to be ensured by the Chief Secretary of the State of West Bengal. Hence, by way of final opportunity, we grant 06 weeks' time to the State of West Bengal subject to deposit of Rs. 50,000/- with the NGT Bar Association which will be utilised for the upgradation of the library and facilities for the members of the Bar.
16. List on 23.02.2026.
Prakash Shrivastava, CP Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM December 22, 2025 AM 5