Cong. claims 98 pc of Indore water samples contaminated, seeks city-wide audit

The Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday alleged that nearly 98 per cent of 240 drinking water samples collected across Indore — a city repeatedly celebrated as India’s cleanest — were contaminated and carried bacteria linked to diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid.

The Opposition party demanded an independent audit of Indore’s water system, intensifying scrutiny of the BJP-led state government over drinking water safety in a city still reeling from a deadly contamination episode and facing persistent shortages of potable water.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari told reporters that the party collected 240 drinking water samples from 29 wards after the Bhagirathpura tragedy of December 2025, when contaminated water allegedly caused multiple deaths and triggered a major public health scare.

According to Patwari, laboratory testing carried out in Noida found contamination in almost 98 per cent of the samples.

He claimed the tests detected bacteria including E. coli and coliform, alongside excessive levels of chemicals from calcium carbonate, chloride and sulphate groups, allegedly far exceeding prescribed safety norms.

Health experts regard the presence of coliform bacteria as an indicator of possible contamination, while E. coli contamination is considered more serious because it is commonly associated with human or animal faecal matter.

Patwari warned that consumption of contaminated water can lead to illnesses including diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, jaundice and dysentery and, in severe cases, death. “Indore is not the cleanest city in the country, but has become the most contaminated city,” he said, attacking the ruling BJP.

The Congress leader demanded an independent water audit covering the entire city, public disclosure of ward-wise water quality reports and urgent provision of safe drinking water in affected localities.

The allegations come months after the Bhagirathpura water tragedy exposed serious concerns about urban water infrastructure and oversight in Indore. Residents and Congress leaders have claimed that 36 people died in an outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea linked to contaminated drinking water in the locality.

The state government has disputed that figure. During a discussion in the Assembly on 19 February, health minister Rajendra Shukla said 22 people had died and announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each bereaved family.

The incident triggered political uproar and prompted judicial scrutiny, with a one-member commission led by former Madhya Pradesh High Court judge Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta appointed to investigate the deaths. The high court has extended the deadline for the commission’s final report until 14 June.

The fresh claims also surface as Indore continues to grapple with drinking water scarcity across several neighbourhoods. Large parts of the city have reported irregular supply, falling water levels and growing complaints from residents over inadequate access to potable water, raising broader questions about the administration’s management of both water quality and availability despite the city’s high-profile cleanliness branding.

With concerns now spanning contamination, public health and shortages, the Congress sought to frame the issue as a governance failure rather than an isolated civic lapse. The BJP government has not yet responded to the party’s latest allegations.

With PTI inputs