Have Ujjain’s ‘Sapta Sagar’ Changed After Four Years of Legal Battle

In 2022, he approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over the situation. According to Rangwala, the condition of the lakes has improved over the past four years. However, people living around the lakes say they are still polluted. Rangwala also agrees that the water is still not fit for drinking.

The Simhastha Kumbh Mela is scheduled to be held in Ujjain in 2028. It is a major religious gathering for Hindus and is expected to draw around 30 crores people. In preparation, 29.21 km of ghats and stop dams are being constructed along the Shipra River at a cost of ₹864 crore.

We examined the actions taken so far, government plans, projects and announcements related to Simhastha to understand how much attention the Sapta Sagar lakes have received, what has changed, and what still needs to be done.

What was the condition of the lakes earlier?

In 2022, while filing his petition, Rangwala raised the issue of encroachment and pollution in Govardhan Sagar. The petition stated that the 36-bigha lake had shrunk to half its size because of encroachments and residential societies. It also alleged that untreated water being discharged into the lake had contaminated both the lake and groundwater.

The tribunal heard the matter in February 2022 and issued a notice to the state government. It also directed a three-member committee comprising the Ujjain Collector, the Central Pollution Control Board and the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board to conduct a detailed investigation and prepare a report.

Citing historical records, the committee said that attempts had been made to illegally occupy the lake land after 1950. It found that the basic structure of the lake was changing and that its area was shrinking because of surrounding land use.

The committee also cited the Ujjain Development Plan 2021, which said that the lake was being used for garbage dumping and as a toilet.

In March 2022, samples were collected from the lake and from a hand pump nearby. According to the report, the level of total coliform in the lake water was above 1,600 MPN/100 ml, while faecal coliform was recorded at 920 MPN/100 ml. Under Indian standards, the desirable limit for faecal coliform for outdoor bathing is 500 MPN/100 ml.

Samples collected from the hand pump also showed that several parameters, including pH, total dissolved solids and chloride, exceeded the permissible limits under the drinking-water specifications.

Rangwala said that at the time, it was difficult even to stand beside the lake for long. “Forget drinking the water, no one could even bathe in it,” he said.

But this was not the condition of just one lake. According to the Ujjain Development Plan 2021, Ruda Sagar was also affected by encroachment, garbage and sewage. Vegetation had grown in Vishnu Sagar and its embankment was eroding. Ksheer Sagar and Purushottam Sagar were suffering from silt accumulation, while Pushpa Sagar faced encroachments and blocked water sources.

Corporation slowed down after initial action

On 5 May 2022, the NGT directed the Ujjain Collector to remove encroachments. It also directed the Collector and the Municipal Corporation to prevent solid-waste pollution and stop any untreated water from entering the lakes. The Member Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board was asked to monitor compliance with environmental regulations.

Rangwala said removing shops around Govardhan Sagar was difficult because of political pressure. However, in July 2023, the district administration told the tribunal that 28 temporary shops, seven permanent structures, the wall of the VD Market parking area, and an encroachment by a dispensary had been removed from Govardhan Sagar.

Under the AMRUT Mission, a 92.5 MLD pumping station and sewage treatment plant (STP) were also planned to treat the city’s sewage. In July 2023, the district administration told the tribunal that no untreated water was entering Govardhan Sagar.

In October 2023, the Municipal Corporation prepared an ₹8.47 crore project for the rejuvenation of Govardhan Sagar. Its tender was issued on 9 October 2023. But by 2 February 2024, neither the STP had been completed nor had the sewage lines been laid. When the Pollution Control Board submitted its report in October 2024, it stated that the deadline for constructing manholes and inspection chambers was December 2024. It also said that household sewage connections would be completed by June 2025.

“The administration did nothing after the initial action. Encroachments were not even being removed from the other six lakes,” Rangwala said.

A report published by Nai Dunia in January 2024 said that tenders had been issued for ₹10 crore for the beautification of Govardhan Sagar, ₹5.5 crore for Vishnu Sagar, and ₹1 crore for Purushottam Sagar.

However, even by October 2025, construction of the STP had not been completed to prevent pollution from entering Govardhan Sagar. This was stated by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board in its affidavit.

Because of the negligence, in 2024 the Ujjain Municipal Corporation was ordered to pay ₹3 crore in environmental compensation to the Pollution Control Board.

In its Action Taken Report, however, the Municipal Corporation said that the project had been delayed because of delays in obtaining approvals from various government departments. It also cited Ujjain’s religious importance, saying that religious events and heavy tourism had contributed to delays in completing the project. 

The corporation appealed for the environmental compensation to be waived on these grounds.

What is the condition of the lakes now?

On 12 February 2022, the then Higher Education Minister and current Chief Minister of the state, Dr Mohan Yadav had said that Govardhan Sagar had returned to its original form after rejuvenation. On 13 August 2026, we visited these lakes to find out what the situation was on the ground.

Some land along the main road in front of Govardhan Sagar is now lying vacant. Rangwala said that a second-hand car market used to operate here but was removed following administrative action.

Even so, a 30-metre green belt around the lake was not visible. Permanent structures were still present on one side of the lake. Along the roadside where we stood, solid waste and puja material were scattered around. Garbage and religious offerings could also be seen in the water.

Mukesh Borasi, a resident of Basant Vihar, said about Ksheer Sagar: “Nothing has changed in all these years. Only when festivals arrive, the walls are painted.”

Pointing towards a building under construction nearby, Rangwala said that construction was taking place right next to Ksheer Sagar and should be stopped.

Similarly, garbage and puja material could be seen at the ghats of Purushottam Sagar.

A Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board report available with Ground Report found only Ratna Sagar to be in Category A for water quality. Samples for the report were collected from all seven lakes on 9 and 10 February 2026.

Of the remaining six lakes, four were classified as Category D, while two—Rudra Sagar and Pushkar Sagar—were classified as Category C.

Under Indian standards, only Category B water can be used for outdoor bathing. This means the latest report indicates that none of the six lakes within the Ujjain Municipal Corporation limits has water that is fit for bathing.

Is there any plan for improvement?

The Ujjain Development Plan 2021 states that the original form of these lakes is shrinking because of surrounding land use. In simpler terms, the lakes are getting smaller. The plan advocates maintaining a 30-metre green belt around the lakes.

However, these lakes are not even listed among the water bodies in the District Environment Plan 2024. The plan lists only four water bodies in the entire district.

We also examined the Ujjain district public relations department’s website through keyword searches to identify actions related to the Sapta Sagar.

It mentions efforts under the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan for improving, cleaning and deepening the lakes. It also mentions directions issued by the Collector to departments for cleaning the Sapta Sagar lakes.

In April 2026, Divisional Commissioner Ashish Singh directed officials at a meeting on Shipra purification to prepare a detailed action plan for water recharge in these lakes.

However, in view of the upcoming Simhastha, there does not appear to be any major plan specifically for the Sapta Sagar comparable to the plans announced for the Shipra River.

We tried to contact the Ujjain Collector and Municipal Corporation Commissioner, both by visiting their offices and by phone, for more information, but received no response.

Rangwala, however, believes that instead of making new announcements, the administration needs to focus on implementing the existing NGT directions.

“If the water in religious lakes in a religious city is not even fit for bathing, it means the work has been done only for show,” he said.

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