Water Contamination Sparks Health Crisis in BJP-Ruled Cities

New Delhi: The number of people being hospitalised after drinking contaminated water is rising in Indore, touted as a model city governed by the BJP. From Bhagirathpura, where several deaths have already been reported, 20 more people were admitted to hospitals with symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting. At present, 142 patients are undergoing treatment, of whom 11 are in intensive care. Health experts have warned that the continued arrival of new patients even after several days is a matter of serious concern. Authorities said a special screening drive to identify patients is ongoing.

Meanwhile, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Madhav Prasad Hasani said the Indore water crisis is being treated as an epidemic. He noted that the biggest challenge is preventing new cases from emerging each day. In Indore Corporation, located in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh under the ‘double-engine government’, 16 people, including a six-month-old infant, have died after consuming contaminated water.

Steps to completely shut down and disinfect contaminated water sources are yet to be completed. Authorities have not been able to confirm whether the outbreak originated from a single source. A team of experts from Kolkata is examining water samples to identify the type of bacteria responsible for the disaster. Water supply from the Narmada river to the affected areas has been fully suspended, and distribution will resume only after experts certify that the water is completely safe. Officials have, however, denied reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome cases in Indore.

Typhoid outbreak in Amit Shah’s constituency

The number of typhoid cases is increasing in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, after people consumed contaminated drinking water. In Gandhinagar, the constituency of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, 113 people, including children, have been hospitalised with typhoid. Ninety-four patients are currently undergoing treatment at the Gandhinagar Civil Hospital and other hospitals.

Preliminary findings suggest that the outbreak was caused by sewage mixing with drinking water due to leaks in water supply pipelines at several locations. Authorities said steps have been taken to seal the leaks and ensure the supply of clean drinking water.

Meanwhile, residents in several areas of Bengaluru have complained that water contaminated with waste is being supplied. Reports also indicate that many people have fallen ill in recent days. In the backdrop of the Indore crisis, criticism is growing that authorities are failing to learn lessons.