99 million litres sewage flows into drains daily:Pollution Board flags highly contaminated water, High Court orders immediate halt discharge

The Madhya Pradesh High Court once again heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning the cultivation of vegetables using contaminated drain water in Jabalpur on Wednesday.
During the hearing, an investigation report submitted by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) exposed the alarming extent of pollution in the city’s drainage system. According to the report, almost all major drains in Jabalpur are carrying a heavy load of sewage, rendering the water extremely polluted and completely unfit for drinking, domestic use, or irrigation. Court takes serious note, seeks immediate compliance A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf made strong remarks while hearing the PIL. The court directed the state government to immediately implement the recommendations of the Pollution Control Board and submit a compliance report. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for February 2. Warning of a major public health crisis The Pollution Control Board has warned that if contaminated drain water mixes with drinking water pipelines under any circumstances, it could trigger a serious public health emergency. Taking note of the gravity of the situation, the High Court ordered the government to: Water samples collected in November Advocate Siddharth Seth, appearing on behalf of the Pollution Control Board, informed the court that on its directions, a joint team comprising officials from the Agriculture Department, Health Department, and the Pollution Control Board collected water samples on November 23, 2025. Samples were taken from major drains including Omti Nala, Moti Nala, Khooni Nala, and others. Laboratory analysis revealed that levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Coliform, and Fecal Coliform were far above permissible limits. The report clearly stated that the water is unsafe for drinking, bathing, farming, or any other use. ₹17.80 crore environmental penalty on Municipal Corporation The case also revealed that following directions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Pollution Control Board had imposed an environmental compensation of Rs 17.80 crore on the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation. The penalty was levied for the period between July 2020 and March 31, 2025, for allowing untreated sewage and polluted water to flow directly into rivers and drains. Despite this, the Municipal Corporation has not yet deposited the amount. The responsibility for recovering the penalty lies with the Jabalpur District Collector, from whom the High Court has now sought an explanation. Nearly 99 million litres of untreated sewage entering drains daily The report highlights a massive gap between sewage generation and treatment capacity in Jabalpur. The city generates approximately 174 million litres of sewage per day. Currently, there are 12 sewage treatment plants (STPs), but they collectively treat only 75.14 million litres of sewage daily—and even these plants are not operating at full capacity. As a result, about 98.86 million litres of untreated and highly polluted sewage is being discharged directly or indirectly into drains every day, significantly worsening environmental and public health risks.