Indore water contamination: 20 new diarrhoea cases detected, 142 in hospitals as over 9,000 screened
Indore's contaminated water crisis has left 142 patients hospitalised as health teams detect new diarrhoea cases. Political tensions have escalated over the death count and minister Kailash Vijayvargiya's "ghanta" remark, sparking statewide protests.
Indore's contaminated drinking water crisis continues to raise alarm as 142 patients remain hospitalised, including 11 in ICUs, amid a widespread diarrhoea outbreak in the Bhagirathpura area. Health teams screened 9,416 residents across 2,354 households and detected 20 new diarrhoea cases, officials said, adding that six deaths have been officially confirmed so far, news agency PTI reported. According to authorities, a total of 398 patients have been admitted since the outbreak began. Of these, 256 have recovered and been discharged, while the remaining continue to receive treatment. Officials maintain that the situation is now under control.
National experts join probe into crisis
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Madhav Prasad Haasani said a team from the National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections in Kolkata has arrived in Indore. The experts are assisting the health department with technical guidance to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.
Death toll sparks political outrage
The death count continues to fuel political tensions. While the administration confirmed six fatalities, Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava earlier stated that he had information about 10 deaths. Local residents have claimed that as many as 16 people, including a six-month-old child, have died due to contaminated water. Amid mounting anger, the Congress launched statewide bell-ringing protests demanding the resignation of senior minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who responded to a journalist's question about the crisis with the word "ghanta", triggering widespread criticism.
Congress demands accountability
The Congress has sought a judicial inquiry and the removal of Vijayvargiya, who holds the Urban Development and Housing portfolios and represents the Indore-1 assembly constituency, where Bhagirathpura is located. State Congress president Jitu Patwari warned of an agitation on January 11 if corrective action is not taken. Patwari demanded that a culpable homicide case be filed against the Indore mayor and civic authorities. "Sixteen persons have died. These deaths are the murder of the mandate that people gave to the BJP in the previous elections," he told reporters, alleging prolonged neglect of public complaints about contaminated tap water.
SDM suspended over controversial order
In neighbouring Dewas, a sub-divisional magistrate was suspended for mentioning a minister's controversial remark and the Congress' allegations in an official order linked to a protest. Ujjain division revenue commissioner Ashish Singh suspended the officer on grounds of serious negligence and irregularities. Officials said the SDM had copied a portion of the Congress memorandum verbatim into an official government order.
Experts blame systemic failures
Water conservationist and Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh described the tragedy as a "system-created disaster." He warned that if such a crisis could unfold in Indore, which has consistently been ranked India's cleanest city, the condition of drinking water systems in other cities must be far more worrying.
Singh alleged that sewage overflow had entered water mains due to poor infrastructure planning. "To save money, contractors lay drinking water pipelines in close proximity to drainage lines," he said, adding that corruption has eroded the entire system. He also expressed concern about falling groundwater levels in Indore.
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