{
  "id": 1819453,
  "title": "NGT Orders Kshipra Rejuvenation, Directs UMC To Stop Untreated Sewage Discharge In MP's Ujjain",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/ngt-orders-kshipra-rejuvenation-directs-umc-to-stop-untreated-sewage",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T22:31:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/ngt-orders-kshipra-rejuvenation-directs-umc-to-stop-untreated-sewage-discharge-in-mps-ujjain"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a stringent directive against the Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) and Ujjain Collector, mandating them to prevent any untreated sewage or wastewater from being discharged into water bodies or the Kshipra River. The State Pollution Control Board will be tasked with conducting inspections at 15-day intervals, ensuring that any violations are rectified with both remedial and punitive measures, including the recovery of environmental compensation.\n\nThis significant order was issued on August 17 by the NGT's bench, comprising Sheo Kumar Singh and Prashant Gargava. The Tribunal emphasized that the Kshipra River is not just a watercourse but a vital part of Ujjain's religious, cultural, and civilizational identity. It highlighted the urgency of protecting the river as both an environmental necessity and a duty towards preserving the region's heritage.\n\nThe NGT's Joint Committee reported that Ujjain currently generates about 85 million liters per day (MLD) of sewage, with this figure expected to rise to nearly 350 MLD during the upcoming Simhastha Mahaparv in 2028. Water samples from the Kshipra revealed biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels ranging from 8-12 mg/L, far exceeding the prescribed bathing water standard of 3 mg/L. The Tribunal also noted that the Kshipra has been designated as a Priority III polluted river stretch by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) based on the 2022-2023 assessment.\n\nOut of the 14 drains in and around Ujjain, 11 have reportedly been tapped, yet the NGT found that Piliyakhal, Hatkeshwar, and Bhairavgarh drains continued to discharge untreated or contaminated wastewater into the river. Additionally, the Sadwal waste stabilisation pond was found to be non-compliant with the required BOD standard.\n\nThe NGT further directed that proposed sewage treatment plants (STPs) and sewerage networks be expedited, that existing STPs and the waste stabilisation pond be properly operated and maintained, untreated drains be intercepted, diverted, and treated, and that nature-based treatment technologies such as constructed wetlands be considered as interim measures. It also stressed the importance of utilizing treated wastewater for greenbelts, gardening, and agriculture, removing solid waste from ghats, drains, and riverbanks, and clearing encroachments on water bodies and public land in the Simhastha area within 30 days. A dedicated grievance redressal system and mobile number were mandated for complaints related to water quality and encroachments. The NGT also requested a comprehensive report on solid-waste generation, current treatment capacity, existing gaps, and proposed arrangements for Simhastha 2028.",
  "summary": "UJJAIN (Madhya Pradesh): The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Central Zone Bench, Bhopal, has directed the Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) and Ujjain Collector to ensure that no untreated sewage or wastewater is discharged into any water body or the river Kshipra. The State Pollution Control Board has been directed to conduct inspections at 15-day intervals and, wherever violations are found,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}