Sewage-tainted drinking water claims seven lives, over 149 hospitalised in Madhya Pradesh

Seven people lost their lives while over 149 people remain hospitalised after an outbreak caused by contaminated drinking water was exposed, as according to the initial report, a drinking water pipeline had been laid beneath a toilet constructed without a mandatory safety tank in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore district, triggering a grave civic and public health crisis.

Investigations by the Indore Municipal Corporation have revealed that severe lapses in civic infrastructure led to sewage seeping into the potable water supply in Bhagirathpura, where a toilet built near a police outpost was directly positioned above a main water pipeline, creating conditions for contamination once leakage developed in the line, The Indian Express reported.

The findings suggested systemic negligence in planning, execution and oversight, even as residents continued to consume water that had already turned hazardous.

Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav reported seven deaths linked to the outbreak, while the state health department has so far officially confirmed three fatalities, reflecting discrepancies that continue to cloud the scale of the tragedy.

At least 149 people were admitted to hospitals with symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, of whom 36 have since been discharged, while more than 116 remain under medical care as authorities attempt to stabilise the situation.

Indore Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dilip Kumar confirmed that the toilet in question lacked the required safety tank, while additional infrastructural lapses were being examined, and further revealed that several chambers intersecting the water distribution line had been identified and were being diverted to prevent further contamination.

Water samples were collected and testing initiated to ascertain the full extent of the spread and to guide remedial measures.

With the water supply assistant engineer suspended, the sub-engineer relieved of responsibilities, and the zonal officer suspended for failure to ensure inter-departmental coordination, signalling an attempt to establish accountability within the civic administration.

As authorities moved into containment mode, District Magistrate Shivam Verma oversaw an extensive door-to-door survey, covering over 2,700 households, while auxiliary nurse midwives and ASHA workers were deployed to distribute oral rehydration solution and monitor symptoms in nearby localities to ensure the outbreak had not spread beyond the initial epicentre.