Indore Water Contamination Dispute Escalates After Elderly Resident's Death
Tensions flared dramatically in Indore's Bhagirathpura area on Saturday following the death of an elderly resident, with family members and local residents squarely blaming contaminated water supplies while municipal officials pointed to chronic pre-existing illnesses as the cause. The incident has reignited concerns over water quality and administrative responsiveness in the locality.
Road Blockade and Traffic Disruption
Aggrieved residents placed the body of the deceased on the main road and staged a forceful blockade, raising loud slogans against local BJP corporators and the municipal administration. The protest caused significant traffic congestion on the road near Bhagirathpura Bridge for nearly ninety minutes, disrupting normal movement in the area.
The deceased has been identified as Badri Prashad, a resident of the locality. His family members expressed deep frustration, alleging that despite a lapse of twenty-four hours since the death, no senior administrative official had visited them to offer condolences or address their concerns.
Family's Anguish and Allegations
Badri Prashad's son, Shailendra, highlighted the family's dire financial situation, stating they were struggling with extreme poverty and lacked even basic funds for performing the final rites. He emotionally recounted that his wife, Kanchan, had passed away just two months earlier during a similar period of reported water contamination issues in Bhagirathpura.
"The administration refuses to link these deaths to the water, but my father was perfectly healthy before this sudden illness struck him," Shailendra claimed, voicing the family's persistent belief that contaminated water was responsible.
Political Intervention and Administrative Response
Congress leaders, including the leader of opposition in the Indore Municipal Corporation, Chintu Choukse, and Congress corporator Raju Bhadoriya, joined the sit-in protest. They demanded immediate financial assistance for the bereaved family and stricter action to ensure clean water supply.
The blockade was eventually lifted after Sub-Divisional Magistrate Nidhi Verma and Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinod Dixit reached the spot. SDM Verma assured the family that clean drinking water supply would be prioritized in Bhagirathpura. She also stated that a formal proposal for financial assistance would be sent to the government based on a detailed medical report from the Chief Medical and Health Officer regarding the deaths of both Badri Prasad and Kanchan.
Official Medical Findings Contradict Allegations
Following two recent deaths in the diarrhoea-affected Bhagirathpura area, Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Madhav Hasani issued an official statement clarifying that Badri Prasad's death was not caused by waterborne diseases. Dr. Hasani detailed that the patient had a history of chronic Tuberculosis (TB), diabetes, and hypertension, along with a past angioplasty procedure.
"He was admitted to Aurobindo Hospital due to respiratory distress. Based on currently available medical facts, the probable cause of his death is considered to be his chronic and serious pre-existing illnesses. No direct link was found between his death and any type of waterborne disease," the CMHO asserted.
Dr. Hasani also addressed the death of 82-year-old Vidyabai, who died on Thursday. While she had reported vomiting and diarrhoea on January 10, officials clarified that her death followed a hip fracture from a fall and other age-related complications. "Linking these deaths to contaminated water solely based on complaints of vomiting and diarrhoea is scientifically incorrect," Dr. Hasani added emphatically.
Current Health Situation and Preventive Measures
Currently, ten patients from Bhagirathpura remain hospitalized with symptoms indicative of waterborne illnesses, with one patient on a ventilator and another in the Intensive Care Unit. The Indore Municipal Corporation is actively laying new main pipelines in seventy percent of the area to prevent further contamination, while the remaining thirty percent is being supplied with tested water via tankers or alternate-day Narmada supply as an interim measure.
The situation underscores the ongoing challenges in urban water management and the critical need for transparent communication between residents, health authorities, and municipal bodies to prevent such confrontations in the future.
