The Odisha government has gone on high alert in the aftermath of the Indore water contamination tragedy, with a renewed focus on strengthening and safeguarding the state’s drinking water supply system.
On Saturday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi instructed authorities to give top priority to water purification, pipeline repairs, and the systematic management of piped drinking water supply across all urban areas. He also issued strict directions to the Chief Secretary to ensure comprehensive inspections of drinking water networks in every municipal jurisdiction.
Urban local body officials have been asked to conduct on-ground inspections of pipeline networks personally. Any damaged or leaking pipelines must be repaired immediately to eliminate the risk of contamination. As per the directive, municipalities have been given a deadline of four weeks, while municipal corporations have been allotted six weeks to complete inspections and carry out necessary repairs.
Once the work is completed within the stipulated timeframe, civic bodies are required to submit a compliance report to the Housing and Urban Development Department. Officials have been warned of strict action in cases of negligence. Additionally, if any drinking water-related issue arises in the future, the concerned officials will be held directly accountable.
The move follows the tragic incident in Indore, where contaminated drinking water claimed at least 10 lives and led to the hospitalisation of around 200 people, including over 30 patients in intensive care units. Preliminary findings suggest that polluted water entered the supply system through damaged pipelines.
To prevent a similar tragedy in Odisha, the state government has initiated proactive and preventive measures aimed at ensuring the availability of safe and clean drinking water for all citizens.
