INDORE: Seven people have died, while dozens are battling for life in hospitals following diarrhoea and vomiting caused by contaminated tap water in Indore, which boasts of retaining India’s cleanest city tag eight times in a row in the national Swachh Survekshan rankings. Patients began pouring into hospitals Monday evening after a leakage in the Bhagirathpur area of the city led to sewage water mixing with drinking water. The area has a population of about 15,000 people. However, confusion prevailed over the numbers of those dead and hospitalised, as the patients are spread over govt as well as private health facilities across the city. CM Mohan Yadav, who visited the patients admitted to various hospitals on Wednesday evening, said, “As of now, the number of deaths recorded is four. But, we have initiated a probe and the final figure would be clear once the report is filed.” Earlier in the day, city mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava had said, “Health department has officially reported the deaths of three persons, but according to my information, seven people have died.” While Indore collector Shivam Verma had earlier informed that 149 patients were admitted in 27 hospitals across the city, the CM said: “Currently, there are 162 patients admitted in hospitals, with 26 in ICU, and 50 have been discharged.” “As many as 7,992 homes have been surveyed, examining approximately 39,854 people, of which about 2,456 were suspected of illnesses, and patients received primary treatment at the same location,” CM Yadav added. He also announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each of the deceased, and directed free medical treatment of all patients. Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) officials said the source of contamination was a toilet constructed at the Bhagirathpura police check-post. The contractor had channelled the output from the toilet to a pit above the main water supply line. IMC zonal officer Shaligram Sitole and assistant engineer Yogesh Joshi had been suspended with immediate effect, while in-charge sub-engineer Shubham Shrivastava had been dismissed, teh collector said. A three-member committee, comprising an IAS officer, an engineer and a medical college professor, has been constituted to investigate. As officials struggled to verify the figures of the ill and dead, Indore bench of MP high court Wednesday directed the state govt to collate figures and submit a report on Jan 2. A vacation bench comprising Justices Rajesh Kumar Gupta and B P Sharma passed the direction while hearing a PIL by Indore HC Bar Association president Ritesh Inani.
