Contaminated Narmada water claims another life in Indore, unofficial death toll reaches 26

Another death was reported from Indore on Friday, allegedly due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water from the Narmada river supplied by the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) through household taps in the city’s Bhagirathpura locality. With this, the unofficial death toll has risen to 26.

The number of fatalities remains disputed. While the administration initially admitted to only four deaths, the figure was later revised to six. Subsequently, in a report submitted to the High Court, the government acknowledged that 15 deaths were caused by contaminated water.

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However, local residents claim that at least 26 people have died so far due to the consumption of the contaminated water.

The government is scheduled to submit its next status report to the court on Tuesday.

The latest fatality was identified as Badri Prasad (63), who succumbed during treatment on Friday. He was admitted to Aurobindo Hospital on January 17 after complaining of vomiting and diarrhoea. According to reports, he was also suffering from tuberculosis.

Sources said that at least 10 patients are currently undergoing treatment at Aurobindo Hospital, one of whom has been placed on ventilator support. According to the Health Department, eight of these patients are also suffering from other serious ailments.

Officials stated that the affected area is being supplied with water by more than 50 tankers daily. The administration claimed that around 30 per cent of the locality is receiving pipeline water on alternate days, and that the water is being regularly tested. In the remaining 70 per cent area, work on laying a new pipeline is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of January.