Premium

Indore water tragedy: Govt recognises 23 deaths, tells court all contaminated sources plugged

Pipelines connecting overhead tanks to household connections are being replaced, along with sewer lines running through the affected locality, the Indore Municipal Corporation told the High Court

3 min readBhopalJan 15, 2026 10:04 PM IST

The Indore Municipal Corporation informed the court that repair work on the underground Narmada and tubewell pipeline network is underway in the affected Bhagirathpura area of Indore.

In a submission to the High Court, the Madhya Pradesh government said 15 deaths have been directly attributed to the Indore water contamination tragedy, but that the families of 23 people who died in that period would be compensated.

After the state government and the Indore Municipal Corporation submitted their status reports before the Bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi, Chief Secretary Anurag Jain told the cout on Thursday that while initially some deaths were attributed to comorbidities, “looking at the gravity of the situation and the public discourse, we took a decision that all deaths, even if they could not be attributed to the contamination, but which took place around the time period, would be compensated.”

Jain also told the court that authorities managed to track the source of contamination. “All the contaminated sources have been stopped. Fifty-one tubewells have been found to be contaminated — all of them have been taken out of use. Unless the water quality gets back to normal, no such source will be used,” Jain said.

Also Read | His govt under fire for Indore water deaths, Madhya Pradesh CM warns Congress: ‘Don’t play politics’

In its status report, the Madhya Pradesh government detailed the medical response based on hospital admissions gathered from various districts. It said, “440 patients were reported across various hospitals, eight patients were admitted to the ICU, 411 patients were discharged after treatment, [and there are] 21 active patients across the hospital.”

The Indore Municipal Corporation informed the court that repair work on the underground Narmada and tubewell pipeline network is underway in the affected Bhagirathpura area of Indore. According to its report, pipelines have been repaired at 30 locations.

Pipelines connecting overhead tanks to household connections are being replaced as part of the exercise, along with sewer lines running through the locality. The civic body said that approximately 200 metres of water pipeline and 200 metres of drainage pipeline have been replaced so far. It added that care is being taken to ensure sewer lines are laid below water lines to prevent contamination.

The corporation also submitted that it has issued a corrigendum for the installation of a Residual Chlorine Analyser equipped with an automatic cleaning sensor and PLC panel, which will be integrated with the existing SCADA system. The tentative tender opening date has been set for January 16. Once operational, the system will provide real-time data on chlorine residue levels in supplied water, the status report said.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Taboola...