Bhagirathpura Water Contamination: Madhya Pradesh High Court directs Chief Secretary to address on action taken

Noting that the issue of water contamination is not only problem of the Indore town but of the entire State, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Chief Secretary of the State of Madhya Pradesh to address the Court through Video Conferencing on the issues highlighted by the High Court and apprise the Court on what actions at the State level are being taken for preventing the water contamination in the entire State so as to prevent the similar incident in other places.

"It shall be the duty of the Commissioner – Indore, Collector – Indore, Commissioner Municipal Corporation, Health Officer of Corporation- Indore, Chief Medical and Health Officer, Chief Engineer of PHED and also Joint Director – Urban Development – Indore to ensure that the interim directions of this Court regarding the immediate supply of safe drinking water, stocking of huge contaminated sources, health camps and medical screening and free treatment are strictly complied with before the next date," the High Court has ordered yesterday.

Listing the matter for further consideration on January 15, 2206, the Indore bench has asked the state to also produce the relative files relating to the issuance of the tender for fresh pipelines for drinking water and also the report of M.P. Pollution Board in respect of the samples which were conducted in the year 2017-2018.

Public Interest Litigations relating to the water contamination tragedy of Bhagirathpura (Ward No.11 of Indore Municipal Corporation) and also to the other areas of Indore town raising various grievances of negligence, mismanagement, corrupt and lackadaisical attitude of the administration resulted in causalities were filed before the High Court.

On 31st December 2025, the High Court had passed an order directing the State and Municipal Corporation, Indore to ensure supply of clean and pure drinking water to the residents of the affected areas and take all possible steps to supply clean water on regular basis. It was further directed that so far as the treatment of the affected persons who are admitted in various hospitals is concerned, the State will take care of them and they will be given best possible treatment. It was further submitted that since the Municipal Corporation, Indore has already ensured that they will provide clean and portable drinking water in the affected areas and the State has already ensured to provide the best medical facilities to the affected people who are admitted in various hospitals. Yesterday, the bench was informed that that still the drinking water which was being supplied to Bhagirathpura and the other affected areas was still contaminated water and it was not clean and safe to drink.

It was further argued that the affected persons are not getting proper treatment despite the order by the High Court. The High Court went on categorize the issues in the following headings:

a) Immediate and Emergency Directions in respect of the affected persons of the said area.
b) Preventive and corrective Measures.
c) Inquiry and Accountability Orders.
d) Disciplinary and Penal Action.
e) Compensation of Victims.
f) Directions to Local Bodies.
g) Public Awareness and Transparency.

For immediate and emergency directions, the court has also directed the respondent state to ensure:
a) immediate supply of safe drinking waters through tankers/packaged water at government cost to the affected areas.
b) Stopping the use of contaminated sources (specific pipelines, overhead tanks, bore wells, rivers)
c) To hold health camps and medical screening for affected residents.
d) To provide free treatment in government and empanelled private hospitals.
e) The respondents shall conduct water quality testing at multiple points by the NABL Accredited Laboratories.
f) Replacement/repair of pipelines (especially where sewer lines and water lines run parallel.
g) Installation of online water quality monitoring systems.
h) Chlorination and disinfection protocols.
i) Long term water safety plan for Indore city.

Case Title: MAHESH GARG AND OTHERS Vs THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS