Indore Water Crisis: Action Delayed, Deaths Ignored - High Court Review Reveals
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A damning report submitted by the Madhya Pradesh government to the state high court has exposed a catastrophic delay in responding to a water contamination crisis in Indore. Despite residents raising alarm four days prior, it wasn't until three people had died that the government sprang into action on December 29.The report, ordered by the court as part of a public interest litigation, claims that only four deaths were caused by the contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area. However, Indore's Mayor contradicts this, stating that 10 people died due to the contamination. Residents suspect that sewage leaking into a potable water line caused the crisis, but the report remains tight-lipped about the source of the diarrhoeal illness. The government also claims that there were no shortcomings in the healthcare services provided to those affected, despite residents alleging that patients were left unattended. The report states that 30 doctors were deployed in the area, and senior health officials were tasked with on-site supervision and data collection. However, signs of a problem had been evident for months, with residents complaining about the water quality as far back as July. The crisis escalated earlier last week, with diarrhoeal illnesses reported among residents, resulting in at least three deaths. The government has now directed private hospitals to provide free treatment to affected persons, and a team is conducting door-to-door surveys to identify any remaining or newly affected individuals. An investigation into the cause and source of the illness is ongoing, but critics argue that the report fails to address the most critical question: what caused this incident?
