Source The Hindu
INDORE, January 3, 2026 — The sterling reputation of Indore, consistently ranked as India’s cleanest city, has been severely tarnished this week as a deadly water contamination crisis in the Bhagirathpura locality has left residents shunning municipal taps and scrambling for expensive bottled water.
What began as localized complaints of “foul-smelling” and “acidic” water in late December has spiraled into a public health emergency. Official figures confirm at least 10 deaths, though local residents and activists allege the toll has reached 16, including a six-month-old infant. Over 1,400 people have been affected by a massive outbreak of vomiting and diarrhea, with hundreds still recovering in city hospitals.
A Systemic Failure: Sewage in the Pipes
Investigations by the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and health officials have revealed a harrowing cause for the tragedy. A major drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura was found to have a significant leak directly beneath a local police outpost’s toilet.
The Cause: Waste from a toilet pit seeped into a loose joint in the main supply line.
The Findings: Out of 50 water samples tested, 26 tested positive for harmful bacterial contamination, including sewage-linked pathogens.
Administrative Lapses: Records show that residents had filed over 260 water quality complaints throughout 2025, many of which were closed by officials without actual resolution.
“Trust Has Dried Up”
For the residents of Bhagirathpura, mostly from low and middle-income backgrounds, the crisis is both a health and financial burden. Despite the IMC deploying over 30 water tankers daily following a High Court order, many families are too terrified to use any water provided by the state.
“We have been complaining for months that the water smelled like sewage, but no one listened. Now people are dead. How can we trust the same pipes or even the tankers they send now?” said a local resident.
Those who can afford it are spending significant portions of their daily earnings on 20-liter bottled water cans, while others are forced to boil every drop of tanker water for at least 15 minutes, as per the government’s latest health advisory.
Government Cracks Down
In a bid to contain the public outcry, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has taken “stern action” against the city’s top brass.
Action Taken Official Involved
Transferred Municipal Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav
Suspended Additional Commissioner Rohit Sissoniya
Relieved of Charge In-Charge Superintending Engineer (Water Works)
The State Government has also announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and has mandated free medical treatment for all affected citizens at government and private facilities.
The Road Ahead
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has intervened, ordering the administration to “uphold the beauty and reputation of Indore” by ensuring the immediate supply of clean water. While the IMC claims the leak has been plugged and the toilet structure dismantled, the psychological scar remains.
The crisis has sparked a national debate on the “invisible infrastructure” of India’s smart cities, proving that surface-level cleanliness cannot mask deep-seated failures in subterranean sanitation.
