The death toll from the contaminated water tragedy in Indore's Bhagirathpura area climbed to ten on Friday, as authorities took their first major disciplinary action by removing the city's municipal commissioner. The crisis, which began affecting residents on December 29, has cast a shadow over the city that has repeatedly been crowned India's cleanest.
Official Action and Conflicting Death Tolls
In response to the growing crisis, the Madhya Pradesh government on Friday removed Indore Municipal Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav from his post. Additional Commissioner Rohit Sisoniya was suspended, and Pradeep Nigam, the in-charge superintendent engineer of the IMC's water distribution department, was also removed.
This administrative shake-up followed a high-level meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey, who has been stationed in Indore. Subsequently, three new additional commissioners—Akash Singh, Prakhar Singh, and Ashish Kumar Pathak—were posted to the IMC.
However, there is a stark discrepancy in the reported fatalities. While Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava publicly stated he had information confirming 10 deaths due to the diarrhoea outbreak, the state government's official status report to the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which is hearing a PIL on the matter, recorded only four deaths.
On-the-Ground Crisis and Response
The human cost of the tragedy was felt acutely in Bhagirathpura. Geetabai Dhruvkar, 68, became the latest victim, passing away on Friday morning after being hospitalized with severe diarrhoea and vomiting, which led to kidney failure.
The official status report noted that a total of 294 patients have been admitted, with 93 discharged. As of Friday, 201 patients remained hospitalized, including 32 in intensive care units.
A flurry of activity was visible in the affected area as IMC workers cleaned streets and supplied water via tankers. Health and ASHA workers conducted door-to-door surveys, distributed medicines, and monitored residents, especially children. Authorities used IMC vehicles to announce warnings, advising people to avoid using tap water, which was being flushed and tested. Residents were instructed to boil all drinking water.
Political Reassurances and Ongoing Scrutiny
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav addressed the situation on social media platform X, stating he had reviewed the actions and issued necessary directions. "We have taken the contaminated water case with utmost seriousness. We have taken action against those found guilty of negligence. There will be no compromise when it comes to health of the people," the CM asserted.
The High Court's continued scrutiny, coupled with the significant administrative overhaul and the rising local death count, underscores the severity of the public health failure in a city renowned for its sanitation standards. The focus now remains on containing the outbreak and providing relief to the affected families in Bhagirathpura.
