Indore Water Contamination: Situation Stabilising, Patients Still Under Treatment

The diarrhoea outbreak linked to contaminated drinking water inIndorehas begun to stabilise, though142 patients remain hospitalised, including11 in intensive care units, health officials said. During a large-scale screening drive inBhagirathpura, identified as the epicentre of the outbreak,20 new caseswere found after examining more than9,000 residents.

Authorities stated that398 people have been admittedto hospitals since the outbreak began. Of these,256 patients have recovered and been discharged, while the remaining are still receiving medical care. Officials added that the situation is now largely under control.

To investigate the incident, a team from theNational Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections (NIRBI), based in Kolkata and affiliated with theIndian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has reached Indore. Chief Medical and Health OfficerDr. Madhav Prasad Haasanisaid the experts are assisting local health authorities with technical support to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.

The district administration has officially confirmedsix deathsso far. However, differing claims have emerged, with the Mayor placing the toll at ten and local residents alleging thatup to 16 people, including an infant, may have died due to the illness.

The incident has triggered political protests acrossMadhya Pradesh, with the Congress organising demonstrations demanding accountability over the handling of the crisis. The opposition party has sought ajudicial inquiryand action against senior ministerKailash Vijayvargiya, whose remarks during media interaction earlier drew criticism.

Congress leaders have warned of intensified protests if corrective measures are not implemented, alleging long-standing complaints about contaminated municipal water supplies in Bhagirathpura that were ignored. They also claimed that water currently being distributed through tankers remains unsafe.

Meanwhile, anSDM in neighbouring Dewas districtwas suspended after allegedly reproducing political language from a protest memorandum in an official government order. Senior officials cited negligence and procedural lapses in the handling of official duties.

Water conservationistRajendra Singhdescribed the deaths as a “man-made disaster,” alleging systemic failures and corruption as underlying causes of the tragedy.