The water contamination crisis in Indore has refused to fade, with fresh diarrhoea cases detected during an extensive health survey in Bhagirathpura, even as authorities maintain that the outbreak is now under control. The resurgence has reignited public anxiety, sharpened political tensions, and raised uncomfortable questions about the safety of urban water systems in one of India’s most celebrated cities.
Fresh Cases Detected During Door-to-Door Screening
Health officials confirmed that 20 new diarrhoea cases were identified during a door-to-door screening exercise conducted in Bhagirathpura, the locality widely regarded as the epicentre of the outbreak. Medical teams examined 9,416 residents across 2,354 households, checking for symptoms such as dehydration, vomiting, and acute gastrointestinal distress.
According to district health authorities, 142 patients remain hospitalised, including 11 in intensive care units (ICUs). Since the outbreak began, 398 people have required hospital treatment, while 256 patients have been discharged after stabilisation.
During the screening drive, several residents told this reporter that they had stopped using municipal tap water entirely, relying instead on packaged water or boiling tanker-supplied water before consumption. “We don’t trust any source right now,” said a Bhagirathpura resident whose family members were treated for dehydration last week.
Conflicting Death Toll Fuels Public Anger
The crisis has been further complicated by disputed fatality figures. District officials have confirmed six deaths linked to the outbreak. However, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava earlier suggested that the toll could be closer to ten, while local residents allege that at least 16 people, including a six-month-old infant, have died due to contaminated water. These higher figures have not been officially verified.
The lack of clarity has fuelled anger and mistrust, with residents accusing authorities of underreporting the scale of the crisis. Health officials, however, insist that only medically certified deaths are being included in official counts.
National Experts Deployed for Technical Assessment
In response to the outbreak, a specialised technical team from the National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections (NIRBI), operating under the Indian Council of Medical Research, has been deployed to Indore.
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Madhav Prasad Haasani told reporters that the team is assisting with advanced water testing, pathogen identification, and preventive protocols. “Their role is to support local systems with technical expertise and help ensure that secondary transmission is prevented,” he said.
Officials added that water samples from multiple points in the supply chain remain under laboratory analysis, and final reports are awaited.
Political Confrontation and Protests
The health emergency has triggered a sharp political confrontation in Madhya Pradesh. The Indian National Congress has launched statewide protests, accusing the ruling dispensation of negligence and administrative failure.
Tensions escalated after senior minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who holds the Urban Development and Housing portfolios, used the word “ghanta” while responding to questions about the crisis on December 31. The remark was widely criticised as dismissive, especially since Bhagirathpura falls within his Indore-1 Assembly constituency.
State Congress president Jitu Patwari demanded a judicial inquiry and criminal action against senior civic officials, warning of a large-scale agitation beginning January 11 if corrective measures were not implemented. He alleged that residents had complained about foul-smelling and discoloured water for over eight months without action.
Administrative Fallout Beyond Indore
The controversy has spilled into neighbouring Dewas district, where a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) was suspended after allegedly copying language from a Congress memorandum into an official order related to protest arrangements. Ujjain division revenue commissioner Ashish Singh cited the move as a breach of administrative neutrality and professional conduct.
Sewage Intrusion Confirmed as Root Cause
Government officials have acknowledged that the outbreak was caused by sewage overflow entering drinking water pipelines, resulting in widespread contamination and severe gastrointestinal illness.
Renowned water conservationist Rajendra Singh, popularly known as the “Waterman of India,” described the crisis as a “system-created disaster.” Speaking to reporters, he blamed poor urban planning and corruption in infrastructure contracts.
“To reduce costs, drinking water pipelines are often laid dangerously close to drainage lines. When pressure drops or leaks develop, contamination becomes inevitable,” Singh said.
Indore’s Costly and Fragile Water Model
Indore relies heavily on the Narmada River for drinking water, pumping supplies from Jalud in Khargone district, nearly 80 kilometres away. The city receives water on alternate days, and officials revealed that around ₹25 crore per month is spent on electricity alone to operate the system.
Mayor Bhargava has previously remarked that Indore consumes some of the most expensive drinking water in Asia, costing approximately ₹21 per kilolitre. Experts warn that the model is financially unsustainable and vulnerable to systemic failure.
A Wake-Up Call for Urban India
The outbreak has exposed serious vulnerabilities in urban water governance, particularly in rapidly expanding cities. That such a crisis struck a city repeatedly ranked as India’s cleanest has only deepened public disillusionment.
As health teams continue surveillance and political tempers flare, residents remain wary of turning on their taps. Rebuilding trust, many say, will take far longer than repairing pipelines.
The Indore crisis now stands as a stark reminder that clean streets alone do not guarantee safe cities — safe water does.
