BHOPAL — The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed central and state pollution control bodies to submit comprehensive reports following a petition alleging that a massive religious offering significantly polluted the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district. The legal action was prompted by a 21-day religious event in Satdev village within the Bherunda area, which culminated on April 8 with the ritual offering of approximately 11,000 litres of milk and 210 sarees directly into the water body. Environmentalists raised serious concerns regarding the scale of the offering, prompting a judicial review of how such practices impact the river’s fragile ecosystem.
The Central Zone Bench of the NGT in Bhopal, comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and expert member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, formally directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) to intervene. The tribunal ordered both authorities to examine whether traditional large-scale religious rituals are adequately covered under current environmental guidelines, or if the state requires fresh anti-pollution regulations specifically targeting these activities. The case has been scheduled for its next detailed hearing on July 17.
The applicants argued that dumping vast quantities of organic matter and textiles directly threatens the river’s ecology, aquatic organisms, local irrigation networks, and regional drinking water quality. The petition contends that the event constitutes a direct violation of Section 24 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, which strictly prohibits the disposal of polluting matter into streams and wells. While the tribunal acknowledged that no definitive scientific data had been submitted to the court regarding the exact degradation caused by milk offerings, it noted that organic substances can dramatically spike Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), depleting dissolved oxygen levels and suffocating aquatic life.
The NGT emphasized that the practice of pouring milk into the Narmada during festivities has evolved into a significant environmental and public concern that warrants strict institutional evaluation. The Narmada River, which originates in Amarkantak and flows 1,312 kilometres westward through a prominent rift valley before emptying into the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Cambay, serves as a primary lifeline for domestic consumption and agricultural irrigation across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
