A plea has been filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking a stay on alleged changing of the natural stream of River Ganga by the district administration as part of preparations for Kumbh Mela in February next year.

The court will take up the matter on December 10.

The plea states that at Sangam, a stream of River Ganga is naturally divided into two parts but the administration of Kumbh Mela Prayagraj through machines was digging out the sand in between the two streams to merge them.

It was being done so that a major chunk of land is made available for allotment to seers and religious organisations for setting up their camps during Kumbh mela, it said.

The application filed against the change of natural flow of River Ganga during Kumbh Mela will be heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice YK Srivastava.

The plea of the applicant is that during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, 15-16 crore pilgrims are expected to come and take holy dip in River Ganga.

It has been submitted that because of the change in flow of River Ganga, there is ample possibility of disturbance in ecosystem.

The applicant has also asked the court to direct the state government to release sufficient water in the river during Kumbh Mela. The application is filed in a PIL relating to a matter of Ganga pollution pending in the High Court.

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