Renowned water conservationist Rajendra Singh, popularly known as the “Waterman of India,” on Sunday described the Indore drinking water tragedy as a “system-created disaster,” blaming deep-rooted corruption and faulty urban planning for the crisis that has claimed several lives.
Expressing shock that such an incident could occur in Indore—consistently ranked as India’s cleanest city—Singh warned that the state of drinking water systems in other cities could be far worse. “If this can happen in the country’s cleanest city, it shows how serious the condition of drinking water supply systems must be elsewhere,” he told PTI.
The incident unfolded in Bhagirathpura, where authorities detected a major leak in a primary drinking water pipeline. Investigations revealed that a toilet constructed over the water mains at a police outpost had caused sewage to overflow into the pipeline, contaminating the water supply. This led to widespread cases of vomiting and diarrhoea among residents.
Official figures put the death toll at six, though locals claim between 10 and 14 people may have died. Around 200 people are still hospitalised, with more than 30 reportedly in intensive care.
Singh alleged that cost-cutting practices and corruption are at the heart of the problem. “To save money, contractors lay drinking water pipelines close to drainage lines. Corruption has destroyed the entire system,” he said, adding that the Indore tragedy is a direct outcome of such practices.
He also raised concerns over Indore’s long-term dependence on the Narmada River for water, pointing out that groundwater levels in the city have been declining for decades. Singh recalled questioning the city’s water sustainability as early as 1992 and said continued reliance on Narmada water shows a lack of responsible water management.
Indore currently sources water from the Narmada River through pipelines extending nearly 80 kilometres from Jalud in Khargone district. According to civic officials, the municipal corporation spends about ₹25 crore every month on electricity bills alone for this project.
Highlighting the scale of expenditure, Singh cited a remark by Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava, who once joked that the city drinks water costing ₹21 per kilolitre and wastes it freely, likening it to “drinking ghee.”