Crisis continues: 3 dead, over 100 hospitalised after drinking contaminated water in Indore

Indore: At least three people have died and over 100 others have been hospitalised in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area in the past few days after allegedly consuming contaminated drinking water, the city’s mayor said on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the deaths and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each for the families of the deceased. He also said the state government would bear the full medical expenses of those undergoing treatment.

However, local residents claimed the death toll is higher, alleging that five people, including four women, have died after falling ill. According to the area’s councillor, residents had complained that the water supplied on December 25 had a foul smell, raising suspicion that it may have been contaminated. Several people reportedly fell sick after consuming the water.

Municipal Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav said a leakage has been detected in the main water supply pipeline at a place in Bhagirathpura, over which a toilet was found constructed.

Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani said that after reports of a diarrhoea outbreak in Bhagirathpura, the health department surveyed 2,703 households and examined around 12,000 people, providing on-the-spot primary treatment to 1,146 patients with mild symptoms.

He said that 111 patients with relatively serious conditions were admitted to different hospitals, of whom 18 were discharged after treatment.

"The patients said they suffered from vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration after drinking contaminated water," Hasani said. According to him, several medical teams, along with four ambulances, have been deployed in the Bhagirathpura area to tackle the outbreak.

Samples of drinking water from the locality have been collected and sent to laboratories for testing. Talking to reporters, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said he received information about the deaths of three persons due to diarrhoea in Bhagirathpura area, but did not disclose their identity.

While the water sample test reports are awaited, prima facie it appears that drainage water might have gotten mixed with drinking water supply lines, contaminating the water.

Strict action will be taken against the officials for negligence, he added. The Congress demanded that a case of culpable homicide be filed against Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava and Municipal Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav over the deaths due to contaminated water.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari visited a private hospital in the city and enquired about the health of people who fell ill after drinking contaminated water.

Addressing reporters, Patwari said, "If drainage water mixes with drinking water pipelines, people can suffer from vomiting, diarrhoea and jaundice, but they do not die from it. It appears that some kind of poisonous substance had mixed into the drinking water pipeline and this needs to be investigated."

Holding the mayor and the municipal commissioner responsible for the incident, he said a culpable homicide case should be registered against both of them.

Targeting the ruling BJP, he said the party has been in power in the Indore Municipal Corporation as well as at the state and the Centre.

"It is a matter of concern for the people of Indore what condition the city has come to under the BJP's triple-engine government," he said.

However, state BJP spokesperson Alok Dubey condemned Patwari's statement, saying he was being insensitive and engaging in "deliberate politics" over an unfortunate incident.

Angry residents of Bhagirathpura alleged that they and their family members fell ill after consuming contaminated Narmada river water supplied to homes through municipal tap connections. They claimed the civic body ignored repeated complaints about foul water supply.

Local councillor Kamal Baghela said residents complained that the water supplied on Thursday (December 25) had an unusual smell. "People may have fallen ill after consuming this water. Only laboratory reports will reveal how the water got contaminated," he said.

Indore depends on the Narmada river for its water needs, with water brought to the city through a municipal pipeline from Jalud in neighbouring Khargone district, about 80 km away. PTI