Indore (IANS) The death toll in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, where a large number of people fell ill over the last few days, allegedly after drinking contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area of the city, has risen to eight. More than 150 residents of India’s cleanest city, Indore, fell ill following the consumption of contaminated drinking water.
In the aftermath of the incident, a shocking revelation has emerged about poor coordination between Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav and senior officials of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC). Madhya Pradesh Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya after he, along with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, visited several hospitals late Wednesday night and later held a review meeting with IMC officials and the mayor.
“We have identified the location where the drinking water supply got contaminated due to a sewerage connection. Inspections are also underway in other areas, and the issue will be resolved soon. However, it has been noticed that there was a lack of coordination between the Mayor and municipal officials, and action will be taken in this regard,” Vijayvargiya told reporters.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the situation in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area — where residents reported acute stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea — as an “emergency-like situation.” He assured strict action against those found responsible. “An investigation is underway, and I am prepared to take tough action against those responsible for the Bhagirathpura water tragedy,” Yadav said. He added that patients are being treated in nearly 30 hospitals across Indore and that it would take some time to ascertain the exact number of casualties.
According to the Indore district administration, around 40,000 people in Bhagirathpura were screened over the past three days. Of them, 2,456 were found suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea and were provided with first-aid treatment at their homes. Official data released late Wednesday night showed that 212 patients were hospitalised, with at least 30 admitted to ICUs in various hospitals.
Taking cognisance of the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered the suspension of two municipal officials, and one public health engineer has been removed from service.
“Bhagirathpura incident in Indore is tragic. Zonal officer Saligram Sitole and Assistant Engineer Yogesh Joshi were suspended. Superintendent Engineer of PHE Shubham Srivastava has been removed from his service with immediate effect,” CM Yadav said.
Earlier, the Chief Minister expressed profound grief over the incident via social media, paying tributes to the deceased and wishing a speedy recovery to those under treatment. He announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the bereaved family and assured that the state government would fully cover medical expenses for all patients, including refunds for prior payments.
Three people died during treatment in different hospitals till Tuesday. However, the number of casualties increased to eight on Wednesday, according to an official. Local MLA and Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya visited hospitals late Monday, consoling affected families and reinforcing the commitment to free treatment.
The outbreak, which began after residents reported unusual taste and smell in municipal water supplied on December 25, has raised serious concerns about the safety of drinking water in the city.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari, who visited some hospitals on Tuesday evening, has blamed Indore Municipal Commissioner for the tragic incident and demanded action against those responsible.
Indore district Congress unit is likely to lodge an FIR against Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Mayor Pushyamitara Bhargava later in the day. Jitu Patwari on Tuesday said that he will ask the district Congress president to file an FIR at a police station.
“This is a complete failure of the Municipal Corporation. 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,” Patwari said on Tuesday evening.
