Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has taken stringent action against senior civic officials following a severe public health crisis linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore's Bhagirathpura area. The CM declared that negligence in this matter will not be tolerated by the state government.
Top Officials Suspended and Removed
In a decisive move late Friday, CM Yadav announced the suspension of two key officials. Rohit Sisonia, the additional commissioner of the Indore Municipal Corporation, and Sanjeev Srivastava, the executive engineer in charge of the public health engineering (PHE) department, have been suspended with immediate effect. Furthermore, the Chief Minister stated that instructions have been issued to remove Dilip Kumar Yadav from his post as the commissioner of the Indore Municipal Corporation.
The action comes after Yadav reviewed the alarming situation with the chief secretary and other senior bureaucrats. He had earlier directed that show-cause notices be issued to the municipal commissioner and the additional commissioner. The CM also ordered the immediate transfer of the additional commissioner from Indore and the withdrawal of water distribution responsibilities from the in-charge superintending engineer.
Outbreak Affects Over 1,400 Residents
The administrative crackdown follows an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting that has gripped the Bhagirathpura locality. Over the past nine days, more than 1,400 people have fallen ill due to the consumption of contaminated water. While local residents have reported a higher toll, claiming 15 deaths including that of a six-month-old infant, the state health department has officially confirmed four fatalities so far, as per PTI reports.
Laboratory tests have conclusively identified the source of the outbreak. Officials confirmed that the drinking water supply was contaminated. The contamination was traced to a leakage in a main water supply pipeline located near a police outpost in Bhagirathpura. Critically, a toilet had been constructed directly over the spot of the pipeline leak, leading to the seepage of sewage into the drinking water.
Restoration and Preventive Measures
Authorities have since repaired the damaged pipeline and restored the supply of clean water to the affected area. However, as a precautionary measure, residents have been advised to boil water before consumption. The state government, aiming to prevent a recurrence of such a disaster, has directed officials to prepare a time-bound action plan. This plan is intended to identify and rectify vulnerabilities in the water supply infrastructure across Madhya Pradesh to safeguard citizens from similar incidents in the future.
The swift suspension of high-ranking officials underscores the government's stated commitment to accountability in public health and civic administration. The incident has highlighted critical gaps in urban infrastructure maintenance, prompting a statewide review of water safety protocols.
