Indore: There are fresh reports of water contamination in Indore , Madhya Pradesh, barely weeks after 23 people died and several others were hospitalised due to water-borne diseases in the city.
At least 22 more people are said to have fallen ill after consuming contaminated water, as reported by India Today.
The latest cases were reported mainly from the Mhow area, where 22 residents complained of illness. Of them, nine have been admitted to hospital, while the remaining are being treated at home under medical supervision.
The number of affected people could rise beyond 25, as additional cases have been reported from nearby areas, authorities have said.
According to reports, the administration swung into action late Thursday night after people reported ill from the affected localities. District collector Shivam Verma visited the hospital to meet patients and oversee the response, while health teams were deployed to the area.
Officials said t
hat a health department team has been on the ground since Friday morning, providing immediate medical assistance and closely monitoring the situation in the affected neighbourhoods.
A survey of the affected neighbourhoods has also started after the fresh cases were reported. Patients are being categorised based on severity and symptoms, to ensure appropriate treatment.
There were several cases of severe contamination and water-borne disease during the last outbreak. While official data puts the death toll at 15, local residents claim that around 25 people died due to vomiting and diarrhoea.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken up the matter, after the government constituted a high-level committee to probe the causes of drinking water contamination, fix accountability, and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
Petitioners told the Court that the committee was merely an eyewash, allegedly aimed at shielding senior officials responsible for the crisis.
It was bacterial contamination of drinking water that led to a widespread outbreak of infection, the government said. Contaminated water was detected in 51 tube wells in Bhagirathpura, and test reports confirmed the presence of E-Coli bacteria, the government informed the Court.
Compensation of Rs 2 lakh each has been provided to the families of 21 affected people by the administration.