Fresh Poisonous Water Scare in Indore Weeks After Deadly Outbreak: 22 Fall Ill in Mhow

Mhow: Weeks after 25 people lost their lives due to contaminated drinking water in Indore, another grave public health crisis has surfaced in the same district. This time, Mhow is in the grip of a jaundice outbreak, with over two dozen people, mostly children, falling ill after allegedly consuming polluted tap water.

The outbreak has been reported from Mhow’s Patti Bazaar and Moti Mahal areas, where residents allege that foul-smelling, muddy water has been supplied through household taps. Locals say people began falling ill soon after consuming the contaminated water.

Children have been the worst hit. In several households, multiple children have fallen sick simultaneously. School-going children have been confined to bed, while some have missed crucial examinations. A Class 12 student, Alena, was unable to appear for her pre-board exams due to the infection, while 9-year-old Lakshita and 12-year-old Geetansh are undergoing treatment for jaundice. In one family alone, six children have been unwell for several days.

The situation is reported to be more serious in the Moti Mahal area, where young children have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health conditions. An elderly person has been referred to Indore after being diagnosed with a liver infection.

Residents allege long-standing negligence by authorities despite repeated complaints. According to locals, drinking water pipelines pass through open drains, and due to leakages at multiple points, drain water is mixing with the supply line, leading to contamination.

Following the outbreak, the administration swung into action. Officials inspected the affected localities and collected water samples for laboratory testing. Health department teams have begun door-to-door surveys, with some patients admitted to hospitals while others are being treated at home.

On Thursday night, local MLA Usha Thakur visited the affected areas, met with sick children and their families, and reviewed the situation. She instructed officials to ensure immediate medical treatment, adequate availability of medicines, stoppage of contaminated water supply, and provision of alternative drinking water. She also assured residents that a technical inspection of the pipeline would be conducted to arrive at a permanent solution.

Meanwhile, Indore Collector Shivam Verma reached Mhow late at night after receiving reports of the outbreak. He visited the Red Cross Hospital, interacted with the affected children and their families, and issued strict instructions to doctors to ensure timely and proper treatment, warning that negligence would not be tolerated.

Mhow Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rakesh Parmar and Additional SP Rupesh Dwivedi were present during the visit. The Collector sought a detailed report from health officials on the cause of the infections, water supply status, and affected zones.

Under the directions of CMHO Dr. Madhav Hasani, health department teams will conduct intensive door-to-door surveys from Wednesday morning. Patients with mild symptoms will be treated at home, while serious cases will be hospitalised immediately.

Water samples have been sent for testing to confirm contamination. Collector Shivam Verma stated that the situation is currently under control but assured that the administration is fully prepared to deal with any escalation. He added that those responsible for lapses in the water supply system would be identified and strict action would be taken.

The Mhow incident, following a similar case in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area, has once again raised serious questions over the safety and monitoring of drinking water supply systems in the district.

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