Water contamination deaths: Indore commissioner among top officials suspended by MP govt
Senior municipal officials in Indore have been removed or suspended after deaths linked to contaminated drinking water. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said negligence will not be tolerated and ordered strict disciplinary action. Over 1,400 people have fallen ill in Bhagirathpura due to the contamination.
New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday ordered stringent action against senior municipal officials after multiple deaths were linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore. Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav has been removed from his post, while the corporation’s Additional Commissioner Rohit Sisonia and the in-charge Superintending Engineer of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department, Sanjeev Shrivastava, have been suspended.
Announcing the decision on social media platform X, the chief minister said, "The state government will not tolerate negligence in the incident that occurred in Bhaagirthpura, Indore, due to contaminated drinking water. Strict decisions are being taken in this regard. The corporation’s Additional Commissioner Rohit Sisonia and the in-charge Superintending Engineer of PHE Sanjeev Shrivastava have been suspended. Instructions have also been given to remove Indore Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav."
Deaths trigger govt response
The action follows reports of deaths and a large outbreak of illness in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area. Local residents have claimed that 15 people, including a six-month-old baby, died after consuming contaminated water. However, the health department has officially confirmed four deaths so far, while Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said he had received information about 10 fatalities.
More than 1,400 residents have reportedly fallen ill with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea over the past nine days, putting pressure on the administration to act swiftly.
Show-cause notices and removals
In another post on X, CM Yadav said he ordered the issuance of show-cause notices to the IMC commissioner and additional commissioner during a review meeting on the contaminated water issue. He also directed the immediate removal of the additional commissioner from Indore and withdrawal of charge of the water distribution works department from the in-charge superintendent engineer.
The Chief Minister further instructed that necessary appointments be made immediately within the municipal corporation to ensure continuity of essential services.
Corrective steps across the state
CM Yadav said he reviewed the situation with the chief secretary and senior officials, including discussions on a report submitted by the additional chief secretary of the Urban Administration and Development Department. "After taking strict action against the officials responsible for the tragic incident caused by contaminated drinking water supply in Indore, we are also taking corrective steps for other parts of the state. For this, the concerned officials have been instructed to prepare a time-bound programme," he said.
An official confirmed that, following the CM’s directions, a zonal officer and an assistant engineer of the IMC have already been suspended, while the services of an in-charge sub-engineer have been terminated.
Investigations revealed a leakage in the main drinking water supply pipeline near a police outpost in Bhagirathpura, at a spot where a toilet had been constructed. Officials said the leakage led to contamination of the water supply, triggering the outbreak.