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The Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has acceptable up a committee comprising a erstwhile HC Judge to behaviour a probe into the contented of h2o contamination successful the city’s Bhagirathpura, saying the substance requires probe by an independent, credible authorization and “urgent judicial scrutiny”. It besides directed the sheet to taxable an interim study aft 4 weeks from the day of commencement of proceedings.
A part Bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the committee connected Tuesday (January 27, 2026) portion proceeding respective Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously implicit the deaths of respective radical successful Bhagirathpura owed to the depletion of contaminated water. The HC reserved the bid aft proceeding each the parties during the time and released it precocious astatine night. The State authorities connected Tuesday (January 27, 2026) told the HC that the deaths of 16 persons successful Indore’s Bhagirathpura country were perchance linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
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The authorities presented earlier the seat an audit study of 23 deaths from the existent gastroenteritis epidemic successful Bhagirathpura, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities whitethorn person been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water. The report, prepared by a committee of 5 experts from the city’s Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of 4 persons successful Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, portion nary decision could beryllium reached regarding the origin of decease of 3 different radical successful the area.
During the hearing, the High Court sought to cognize from the State authorities the technological ground down its report. The Bench besides expressed astonishment astatine the State government’s usage of the word “verbal autopsy” successful narration to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the word for the archetypal time.The HC expressed interest implicit the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the concern was “alarming,” and noted that cases of radical falling sick owed to contaminated drinking h2o person besides been reported successful Mhow, adjacent Indore. In its order, the HC said the superior contented concerning contamination of the drinking h2o proviso successful the Bhagirathpura country allegedly resulted successful wide wellness hazards to residents, including children and aged persons.
Indore h2o contamination deaths: Blindspotting successful India’s cleanest city
According to the petitioners and media reports, the decease toll is astir 30 truthful far, but the study depicts lone 16 without immoderate ground oregon record, it said. It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage successful the pipeline, and nonaccomplishment of civic authorities to support potable h2o standards person led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, aesculapian reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie bespeak a substance requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
“Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the close to beingness nether Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the request for an autarkic fact-finding exercise, the tribunal is of the sentiment that the substance requires probe by an independent, credible authority,” it said. “Accordingly, we name Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, erstwhile Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man committee of enquiry into the issues relating to h2o contamination successful Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its interaction connected different areas of the city,” the HC added.
As per the order, the committee shall inquire into and taxable a study connected the origin of contamination -- whether the drinking h2o supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the root and quality of contamination (sewage ingress, concern discharge, pipeline damage, etc). The sheet volition besides probe the fig of existent deaths of affected residents connected relationship of contaminated water; find retired the quality of illness reported and adequacy of aesculapian effect and preventive measures; suggest contiguous steps required to guarantee harmless drinking water, arsenic good arsenic semipermanent infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It volition besides place and hole work upon the officers and officials recovered prima facie liable for the Bhagirathpura h2o contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, peculiarly susceptible sections. The committee shall person powers of a civilian tribunal for the intent of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the authorities department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering h2o prime investigating done accredited laboratories and conducting spot inspections.
All State authorities involving territory administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, nationalist wellness engineering section and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall widen afloat co-operation and supply records arsenic sought by the commission, it said. The State authorities shall supply bureau space, staff, and logistical enactment to the commission, it said. During the hearing, the State authorities besides presented a presumption study to the tribunal successful this matter.
According to reports, a full of 454 patients were admitted to section hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak, of whom 441 person been discharged aft treatment, and 11 are presently hospitalised. According to officials, owed to a leak successful the municipal drinking h2o pipeline successful Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was besides mixed successful the water.
