A leak in the pipeline of India’s ‘cleanest city’ triggers a severe diarrhea outbreak, exposing vulnerabilities in urban water infrastructure despite top rankings.
INDORE — A major public health emergency has unfolded in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, after contaminated municipal water led to a fatal diarrhea outbreak. Official reports confirm at least nine deaths, with over 200 residents hospitalized and hundreds more showing symptoms.
The contamination originated in the Bhagirathpur area, where a leak in the drinking water pipeline allowed harmful bacteria to infiltrate the supply. Preliminary water tests confirmed bacterial presence, prompting a large-scale crisis response.
“This is a grave incident,” said senior lawmaker Kailash Vijayvargiya, who confirmed the death toll. Indore’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Madhav Prasad Hasani, stated, “Over 200 people from the same locality are undergoing treatment across city hospitals. We are awaiting the final water sample report.”
Local authorities have swung into action, identifying and repairing the suspected leakage point. District Administrative Officer Shravan Verma outlined the emergency measures: “We have deployed medical teams for door-to-door screening and are distributing chlorine tablets for water purification.” So far, 8,571 people have been screened, with 338 identified as having mild symptoms.
The tragedy casts a stark shadow over Indore’s reputation. The city has been officially ranked as India’s cleanest city for eight consecutive years under the national Swachh Survekshan (cleanliness survey). This incident raises urgent questions about the monitoring and maintenance of water infrastructure, even in top-performing urban centers.
The focus remains on containing the outbreak and providing care to the affected, while an investigation into the systemic failure is expected.
