New Delhi: A severe water contamination crisis in Indore, Madhya Pradesh—a city that held the title of India’s cleanest for eight consecutive years—has claimed 10 lives and sickened over 2,000 residents after sewage mixed with drinking water in the Bhagirathpura area.
The fatalities, confirmed as of Wednesday, December 31, include a six-month-old infant who died on Wednesday and six women, according to district administration officials cited by The Hindu. More than 100 local residents required medical attention over the past week after consuming water from the municipal supply system.
Health officials conducted door-to-door surveys covering 7,992 homes and examined approximately 39,854 people, identifying 2,456 suspected cases of vomiting and diarrhea who received immediate first aid, according to the Chief Medical and Health Officer’s statement quoted by The Hindu. As of Wednesday evening, 212 patients remained hospitalized, with 50 already discharged after recovery, leaving 162 under treatment including 26 in intensive care units.
Infrastructure Failure Behind Crisis
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava acknowledged discrepancies in the official count, stating one day prior that seven deaths had occurred, noting differences between the health department’s report of three deaths and his knowledge of four additional fatalities. Local residents believe the actual toll may be higher, The Telegraph reported.
Municipal commissioner Dileep Yadav revealed that a toilet constructed over the main water pipeline allowed sewage to leak into the drinking water system. Authorities have demolished the toilet structure and repaired multiple leaks discovered throughout the network.
“A main leakage from a toilet drainage over the main supply line has been repaired and the toilet has been dismantled. Various other leakages were also found and repaired. We will test the water supply tomorrow and check for any leakages and water quality. The supply will be resumed once everything is fine,” Yadav told The Hindu.
Documents show the municipal corporation issued a tender in August 2024 for a new supply line in the affected area, but the project stalled while awaiting AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) funding. The tender remained unopened for months as residents continued drinking contaminated water.
Official Action and Political Fallout
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered the dismissal of Public Health Engineering Department sub-engineer Shubham Shrivastava, while suspending zonal officer Shaligram Sitole and assistant engineer Yogesh Joshi.
A three-member investigation panel led by IAS officer Navjeevan Panwar, including superintendent engineer Pradeep Nigam and MGM Medical College associate professor Shailesh Rai, will probe the disaster. The committee’s mandate includes examining why the August tender for pipeline replacement went unimplemented for months.
State urban development minister and Indore-1 MLA Kailash Vijayvargiya called the incident “unfortunate” and admitted official failures, though he emphasized that patient treatment should take priority over debate. On the death toll, he stated: “I will not comment on this at present because some people have died natural deaths, while some fatalities have occurred in this incident as well. Therefore, after an inquiry by doctors and the administration, we will share the figures.”
Vijayvargiya sparked controversy during a Wednesday night media interaction when he lost his composure, according to PTI. When questioned about hospital refunds and inadequate water arrangements, he snapped at reporters, telling them not to ask “free (unnecessary) questions” and using inappropriate language on camera.
After the footage went viral, Vijayvargiya issued an apology statement, explaining that his team had worked continuously for two days without rest. “In this state of deep grief, my words came out wrong on a media question. I express my regret for this,” he stated.
Opposition Demands Accountability
State Congress spokesperson Neelabh Shukla alleged authorities were concealing the actual death toll to hide “fatal negligence,” dismissing the official response as “merely a cosmetic exercise.”
MP Congress chief Jitendra Patwari launched a sharp attack on the ruling BJP, noting that Indore had elected BJP representatives across all positions. In posts on X, he stated: “Even after giving lakhs of votes, BJP wants to greet you by taking your life.” Patwari shared the video of Vijayvargiya’s outburst and demanded that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav seek the minister’s resignation on moral grounds.
The state Congress formed a five-member fact-finding committee comprising former Ministers Sajjan Singh Verma and Jaivardhan Singh along with three MLAs, tasked with submitting its findings by January 5.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court issued notices to state authorities and requested a status report by January 2, while ordering free treatment for patients after allegations that private hospitals refused care without advance payment. The court is considering a petition to establish an investigation committee headed by a retired High Court judge to prevent similar incidents in the future.