Indore Water Crisis: Top Officials Suspended as Death Toll Reaches 10

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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered the suspension of Indore Municipal Corporation's Additional Commissioner and the Public Health Engineering department's engineer, and transferred the municipal commissioner in response to a growing water contamination crisis in the city. The crisis has resulted in the deaths of at least 10 people, with many more affected by contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura neighborhood. The situation came to light in July, when residents reported foul smells and sewage in their drinking water supply, but officials allegedly failed to take action. On Friday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court took up the case, expressing concern over the government's inaction and instructing officials to ensure the city receives clean drinking water. The court also reviewed a 39-page status report submitted by the state government, which confirmed 4 deaths, although local officials claimed 10. The government report stated that over 300 people fell ill between December 25 and 27, with 294 hospitalized and 32 in the ICU. A survey of 48,112 people found that 2,714 had mild symptoms. The Chief Minister has emphasized that corrective measures are being taken to prevent similar incidents in other parts of the state. A virtual meeting has been convened with mayors, commissioners, and district collectors to address the issue. The opposition has criticized the government's response, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the administration of being in a 'deep slumber' and the BJP's Hitesh Bajpai attributing the crisis to negligence by PHE field officials. The case will be heard again on January 6, as the court continues to monitor the situation and demand action from the government to ensure clean drinking water for the affected residents.