Daijiworld Media Network - Indore
Indore, Jan 8: Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh on Thursday called for a judicial inquiry into the deaths allegedly caused by contaminated drinking water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura locality, accusing authorities of evading responsibility through a blame game.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, the Rajya Sabha MP said it was alarming that Indore — widely regarded as the state’s economic hub and among its most developed cities — had witnessed loss of lives due to unsafe drinking water. He alleged that instead of fixing accountability, government officials and elected representatives were shifting blame onto one another.
In a post on X, Singh said ministers blamed officials, officials pointed fingers at civic bodies, and even the mayor was drawn into the controversy. “Rather than acknowledging failures and taking firm action, everyone passed the buck. This meaningless blame game only worsens the pain of the affected families,” he wrote.
Targeting the state government, Singh said that transferring a few officials and announcing compensation could not wash away what he described as a “black mark” on the city. He also criticised the chief minister — who holds charge of Indore and visits frequently — for limiting his response to the announcement of ex gratia payments.
“Compensation cannot bring back lost lives. The government must stop shielding its failures, fix responsibility, and ensure strict punishment for those guilty,” Singh said, reiterating his demand for an independent judicial inquiry.
He further called for a public hearing and an investigation led by a sitting judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, stating that the incident had exposed serious shortcomings in civic governance and water management.
Meanwhile, health authorities said the situation in the affected area was gradually stabilising. Indore Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani said the number of diarrhoea patients admitted to hospitals dropped to 56 by Wednesday night, down from 99 on Tuesday. Critically ill patients in ICUs also declined to nine from 17 a day earlier.
The diarrhoea outbreak, attributed to contaminated water supplied by the Indore Municipal Corporation, emerged nearly three weeks ago in Bhagirathpura. Officials said that a total of 437 people have been hospitalised so far, with 381 discharged as of Wednesday night.