Water contamination in Indore: situation under control, government tells HC

Indore, Jan 2 (PTI) The state government on Friday informed the Madhya Pradesh High Court that the Bhagirathpura health crisis has been categorised as a "public health contingency", and the situation has successfully stabilised following the implementation of emergency measures and continuous monitoring. In a detailed 40-page status report along with annexures submitted before the Indore Bench of the High Court, the Sub-divisional magistrate said the state government had taken all required measures and not treated the matter as a "routine medical issue".

The report, submitted in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ritesh Inani, president of Indore High Court Bar Association, claims the outbreak of diarrheal illness is now under effective control, with continuous minute to minute monitoring in place to prevent any resurgence.

"No abnormal increase in fresh cases has been reported," it added.

The state provided a breakdown of the impact and the current medical status of affected residents as of January 2, saying that out of the 294 patients admitted across various facilities since the outbreak began, 93 patients have been successfully treated and discharged.

Out of the remaining 201 patients, 32 were at present admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

The report put the death toll due to the diarrheal outbreak at four, but Mayor of Indore Pushyamitra Bhargava said he had received information about 10 deaths due to a diarrhea outbreak caused by contaminated water.

On the ground, a joint survey team comprising officials from the district administration, municipal corporation and the Health Department is conducting door to door screenings.

These teams are identifying new cases and distributing preventive ORS sachets and Zinc tablets to residents to stop symptoms from escalating.

While medical surveillance remains at its peak through the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) and Mukhyamantri Sanjeevani Clinics, a statutory investigation into the source of the illness and water quality is currently ongoing.

The government assured the court that "appropriate action shall be taken strictly in accordance with law" once the final reports identify the cause of the contamination.

The report countered the allegation in the PIL that victims were left unaided, and highlighted a directive issued on December 30 which mandated that all private hospitals must provide entirely free treatment, including diagnostics and medicines, to all affected persons, not refuse admission to any patient from the affected area, and above all charge no fees, with the State Government guaranteeing full reimbursement to the private facilities.

The state described this move as a "humanitarian and welfare oriented approach" to ensure no one was denied care at any stage.

While acknowledging that "no amount of monetary assistance can ever compensate for the loss of human life," the state has distributed ex gratia assistance of Rs 2,00,000 to the families of the deceased as an immediate supportive measure.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, meanwhile, ordered disciplinary action against senior Indore Municipal Corporation officials, including the immediate transfer of an additional commissioner.

He had ordered issuance of show-cause notices to the municipal commissioner and additional commissioner during a review meeting on the issue, Yadav said in a statement, adding that he also ordered withdrawal of charge of water distribution works department from the in-charge superintendent engineer.

Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti targeted her party's government over the deaths, asking it to do a "severe atonement" for the "sin", and seeking "maximum punishment to all the culprits - from bottom to top".

Terming the episode as chief minister Yadav's "testing time" as it has "tarnished" the state, the former CM said an apology was owed to the victims.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP's "double-engine" government in Madhya Pradesh over the tragedy, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is always silent whenever poor die.

Gandhi alleged that Madhya Pradesh has become the epicentre of misgovernance and cited various instances of casualties reportedly due to cough syrups, poor hygiene at government hospitals and now due to contaminated water.

"Every home is filled with mourning, the poor are helpless - and on top of that, BJP leaders are making arrogant statements. Those who lost their lives and livelihoods needed solace; the government offered arrogance," he said.

Senior MP cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday triggered a controversy after he used an objectionable word on camera — ghanta (loosely translating to nonsense) — when questioned by a TV journalist about the water contamination incident.

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said PM Modi keeps talking about his government's Jal Jeevan Mission, but was silent on deaths caused by contaminated water in Indore, the country's "cleanest city". PTI HWP LAL BNS MAS SKC SKL KRK