Sanitation single factor behind surge in kumbh, says CS

Lucknow: Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that the single factor responsible for the surge of pilgrims in Prayagraj for Kumbh and Maha Kumbh was sanitation.
"Prior to the 2019 Kumbh, sanitation facilities in the mela premises were limited to just earmarking a large area for open defecation, which eventually polluted the rivers. But in 2019, the govt decided to build over one lakh toilets. The strategy was improvised in the 2025 Maha Kumbh when over 1.5 lakh toilets were built. While the state gained in terms of pilgrims and tourist footfall, the govt was also able to save the pious Ganga from getting polluted," he said, addressing the gathering at an official programme to mark the 10th anniversary of HCL Foundation's Samuday project based in Hardoi.
Mentioning that UP was able to put up a kumbh of unprecedented scale with a collaborative approach, Singh emphasised that participatory and sustained development cannot be imagined without the contribution of the private sector.
"A lot has changed in the ways and means with which govts work in the country, but participatory and sustained development cannot be imagined without the contribution of the private sector," he said.
Recalling how technology and the availability of funds scaled up various development programmes in the country, Singh said that ensuring continuity of development initiatives was not easy.
"Even in the govt sector, ensuring continuity of resolve and development is not easy at times. Therefore, 10 years of commitment towards a cause taken up is a landmark achievement. It also speaks of the hard work put in by every single individual associated with the project," he said.
Singh pointed out that govts look at efforts like Samuday not as subletting their responsibility but to explore opportunities for ideas and their possible replication.