While the Government has put the death toll at nine due to the Indore water contamination tragedy, local people say 14 people have died after drinking sewage-mixed water
Indore water contamination: The water contamination crisis in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area has worsened with the death toll reportedly rising to 14.
“In all, 14 deaths have happened in the area. Of these, nine deaths, the probe committee found, were due to diarrhea. Other deaths were caused due to co-morbidity and an accident. One woman died on December 21 but that too was wrongly linked to water contamination,” Hindustan Times quotes additional chief secretary Sanjay Dubey, who heads the probe committee, as saying.
Local residents and family members, however, maintain that 14 people, including a six-month-old infant, have died after consuming sewage-laced drinking water.
The Epicenter: Bhagirathpura
The outbreak, which began in late December 2025, has crippled the Bhagirathpura locality, a densely populated area in the “cleanest city in India.”
- Total Affected: Over 2,800 people have fallen ill with symptoms of severe vomiting and diarrhea.
- Hospitalizations: Approximately 272 patients have been admitted to various hospitals across the city; 32 of those remain in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in critical condition.
- Medical Findings: Laboratory tests from the MGM Medical College confirmed bacterial contamination in 26 out of 50 water samples collected from the area.
Lapses and Accountability
Investigations have uncovered a series of administrative and infrastructural failures:
- Direct Contamination: Officials found a major leakage in the main Narmada drinking water pipeline located near a police outpost. A toilet had been constructed directly over the pipeline without a septic tank, allowing raw sewage to seep into the potable water supply.
- Ignored Warnings: Residents and local corporators alleged that complaints regarding foul-smelling water had been filed months ago. A tender for a new pipeline in the area had been pending since August 2025 but was only cleared on January 2, 2026, following the tragedy.
- Action Taken: The Madhya Pradesh government has suspended several officials, including Saligram Sitole (Zonal Officer), Yogesh Joshi (Assistant Engineer), and Shubham Srivastava (Superintendent Engineer – removed from service).
Government Response & Human Rights Intervention
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the tragedy, issuing a notice to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary. The commission has demanded a detailed report within two weeks, citing a “gross violation of human rights.”
- Compensation: Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased.
- Current Measures: The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has since repaired the leak, dismantled the illegal toilet, and is conducting door-to-door health surveys covering over 8,000 houses. Residents are strictly advised to boil water before consumption.
“Money cannot compensate for the loss of a life. We complained for months about the smell, but no one listened until people started dying,” a grieving resident of Bhagirathpura said.
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