The deadly outbreak in Indore linked to contaminated drinking water has caught global attention.
International media has highlighted Indore’s shocking turnaround from India’s cleanest city to a hotspot of public health failure.
Adding to the list of in-depth reporting was a British daily that quoted authorities as saying that sewage caused the outbreak. It reportedly seeped into the main drinking water line.
The incident has grabbed attention across India. Opposition politicians blamed the state government for failing to act. They said clean water is a basic right for all citizens. Newspapers urged stricter rules for water safety and environmental protection. Experts warned that weak testing in public labs raises the chance of disease outbreaks, particularly as cities grow quickly.
The Indore tragedy points to wider concerns about water safety in India.
According to reports, only 8% of public water-testing labs run by the Delhi government are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories. These associations set international quality standards.
Across the country, 59% of public labs are accredited.
Going by the numbers, it was a disaster waiting to happen. Sadly, it was Indore that became the recipient of the tragedy.
For those who came in late, at least 10 people, including a five-month-old infant, have died, and more than 270 others have been hospitalised after consuming the polluted water.
At least 32 patients remain in intensive care. Health teams identified 2,456 suspected cases during door-to-door visits and provided first aid.
The contaminated water, officials said, was caused by sewage seeping into the main line from a water tank. A public toilet built above the drinking water pipeline without a septic tank has been identified as the source.
Local media reported the death toll may have risen to 15, though a final confirmation is awaited.
Earlier, residents had complained of foul-smelling tap water in the congested Bhagirathpura area. Authorities reportedly didn’t take the complaints seriously.
Residents began showing symptoms this week, including vomiting, diarrhoea, and high fever.
Water tests confirmed the presence of bacteria typically found in human sewage.
Residents said officials ignored repeated complaints. A municipal councillor called it a serious failure of duty. Several city officials have been suspended while investigations continue. The father of the infant who died was quoted as saying that he had fed the baby with filtered tap water, not knowing it was contaminated. He added that the whole neighbourhood used the same water and received no warnings.
Indore’s mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava was quoted as saying that the outbreak resulted from sewage mixing in the main water line.
Chief minister Mohan Yadav was quoted as saying that new rules would be framed to prevent such incidents, assuring there would be a determined effort to prevent a repeat of such episodes.
Also Read: Sewage In The Pipes, Silence In The System: How Indore’s Water Turned Lethal https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#inbox/FMfcgzQfBGZJgpJMBRLhjfdGwfGtcbKr
