Indore: Indore is grappling with one of its worst civic and public health crises in recent years after contaminated drinking water claimed the lives of at least 20 people and left more than 3,200 residents ill in Bhagirathpura and surrounding localities. Hospitals continue to report new admissions, with several patients in critical condition, indicating that the emergency is far from being contained.
On Thursday alone, ten patients were moved to intensive care units, while the total number of hospitalised patients has reached 446, with 50 still undergoing treatment. Fear and uncertainty have gripped the affected neighbourhoods, as residents struggle with the alarming reality that even basic drinking water is unsafe.
Crores Spent, Yet Basic Safety Fails
What has made the tragedy particularly disturbing is the massive public expenditure on Indore’s water supply and sanitation systems over the past five years. The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) allocates 25 to 30 per cent of its annual budget to water and sanitation alone. This expenditure has risen steadily from ₹1,680 crore in 2021–22 to a proposed ₹2,450 crore in 2025–26, alongside an overall IMC budget increase from ₹5,135 crore to over ₹8,200 crore.
Beyond municipal spending, thousands of crores of rupees have been invested through schemes such as the Asian Development Bank-funded projects, AMRUT, and the Smart City Mission, all aimed at upgrading pipelines and ensuring a 24×7 supply of safe drinking water. Despite these investments, contaminated water managed to enter distribution lines and reach thousands of households, raising troubling questions about system oversight, quality control, and institutional accountability.
Civil Society Calls It a Public Health Emergency
Civil society organisations have openly criticised the authorities for downplaying the gravity of the situation. In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India described the incident as a “public health emergency”. The group has demanded a guaranteed round-the-clock supply of safe drinking water, along with a complete overhaul of Indore’s water supply system, from source to last-mile distribution.
The organisation warned that temporary repairs and cosmetic fixes would only postpone future disasters unless deeper systemic failures are urgently addressed.
Legal Action Sought Against Officials
The crisis has also entered the legal arena. Ramoo Singh, a resident of Bhagirathpura, has filed a petition seeking the registration of an FIR against officials allegedly responsible for the deaths caused by contaminated water. His lawyer, Dilip Nagar, said the petition claims that residents have been consuming polluted water for nearly two years and calls for charges of culpable homicide against those accountable.
The petition further seeks the removal of all concerned officials from their posts until the investigation is completed, arguing that impartial accountability is impossible while those under suspicion remain in charge.
Life Disrupted in Affected Areas
Since the contamination was detected on December 29, panic has prevailed in Bhagirathpura. Municipal vehicles are making repeated announcements advising residents to boil and filter water before use, while ration kits are being distributed to families struggling with daily needs. Even borewell and RO water is being boiled out of fear.
Ongoing drainage line repair work has further disrupted daily life, severely impacting small businesses that are already facing reduced footfall and financial losses.
As Indore—often celebrated for its cleanliness and urban governance—battles this crisis, residents and activists alike are demanding answers, accountability, and urgent action to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.