It’s heartbreaking what’s going down in Indore right now. This city that’s been bragging about being India’s cleanest for eight years straight – yeah, the one with all those Swachh awards – is dealing with people dying from drinking water straight out of their taps. We’re talking sewage mixing into the drinking supply because of some shocking screw-ups in basic plumbing.
It all kicked off in Bhagirath Pura, a regular neighborhood there. Folks started noticing the water smelled bad, looked murky, even tasted like acid. They complained for weeks, months even, but nothing happened. Then boom – vomiting, diarrhoea everywhere.
Hospitals got slammed. Over 2,000 people got sick, hundreds ended up in wards.
The death count? That’s where it gets messy. Officials say around 7-10, including women and a tiny six-month-old baby boy whose parents waited 10 years for him. Locals and some reports swear it’s higher, like 13 or 14. One little kid, Avyan Sahu, just five or six months old – gone because of this. Heart-wrenching.
Turned out, a public toilet was built right over the main water pipeline, no proper septic tank underneath. Sewage leaked straight in through cracks and loose joints. Old pipes that needed replacing – tenders were delayed forever. Complaints piled up, but bureaucracy just sat on them.
Now, heads are rolling: officials suspended, one sacked, probes going on. High Court ordered free treatment, NHRC jumped in demanding reports. Tankers bringing clean water, pipes getting fixed in a rush. But for the families burying their loved ones, it’s way too late.
This ain’t just Indore’s mess. It’s a big red flag for the whole country. Jal Jeevan Mission’s been pushing taps into millions of homes – great job on connections, over 15 crore rural households hooked up. But what’s the point if the water coming out is poison? Quality checks mostly happen at the source or plant, not at your kitchen tap where leaks and crap can sneak in along the way.
Poor areas get hit hardest – no money for RO filters or bottled stuff. We gotta test water right at the delivery point, fix leaks fast, maintain pipes properly. Community folks need to watch and report, not get ignored.
Indore’s tragedy screams: awards for clean streets mean zilch if your tap water kills you. Time to fix this divide for real – safe, clean water in every home, no excuses.
Sources: The Hindu (Dec 30, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026 reports on deaths, contamination tests, NHRC notice); Times of India (updates on lapses, toilet over pipeline, death toll variations); Indian Express (detailed probes, ignored complaints, baby death story, sewage mix confirmation); India TV and Outlook India (official actions, varying tolls up to 13-14). Jal Jeevan Mission stats from PIB and official dashboard updates
