Author: Aadhya Vimal (Student Editor at Jurivine)

INDORE — In the small, cramped alleyways of Bhagirathpura, the Cleanest City in India title is almost like a mockery or a cruel joke. For years, Indore has won awards for its sparkling clean streets and waste management. However, today, the city is infamous for something more sinister: a water system that has become deadly.

Since late December, at least 10 people have died, and hundreds more have been rushed to hospitals. The reason? They simply drank the water coming out of their taps.

A Disaster Waiting to Happen

As engineers excavated the land, they discovered a mess that was even more like a horror movie or nightmare rather than a planned city. The prime suspect is a small police station installed directly on top of a major water pipe. This police station didn’t have a properly functioning toilet system, which left sewage in a hole that then leaked into a broken water line.

This isn’t just a bad accident. In legal terms, it’s a matter of a Duty of Care The city owes a “Duty of Care” which states that they must ensure the infrastructure they construct does not kill the people they serve, and when you construct a toilet over a drinking water line, it is not just making a mistake its being grossly negligent.

The Law vs. The Reality

Under the Indian Constitution, every citizen is guaranteed the Right to Life. The courts have stated in several cases that the Right to Life also comprises access to clean drinking water. By failing to do constant maintenance checks, the municipal corporations are not just violating the law by allowing old pipes to rot away and dumping construction on top of them.The Indore High Court has intervened, directing the city to send tankers to this region and provide free medical care. While this courtroom drama is unfolding, a mood of terror is prevailing among the residents and patients staying in Bhagirathpura. “I can drink the tanker water, but I won’t give it to my kids,” Kishore, a local worker whose three-year-old son recently fell ill, stated. Like many residents of Bhagirathpura, he is now spending his limited money on bottled water because he no longer trusts the government to keep his family safe. 

Another heartbreaking case is that of Sunil Sahu, who still regrets the day he decided to give milk diluted with tap water, (a common practice in Indian households

so digestion is easier for the babies), leading to the death of his five-month-old.

Who is Actually Responsible?

The government has already started the blame game. High level officials have been moved, and junior engineers have been suspended. But the legal questions go much deeper than a few job losses:

How did this happen? 

In a city that prides itself on being world-class, why are the water pipes in poor neighbourhoods 30 years old and running right next to sewers?

Where is the accountability? 

The state is offering money to the families of the victims, but is it enough? When the state’s negligence causes a death, the law says they owe more than just a sorry and a small check.

Is it a cover-up? 

There is already a fight over the death toll, with officials reporting fewer deaths than what the families on the ground are saying.

A City Divided

While parties involved in the riots try to keep the peace between shouting politicians, the residents of Bhagirathpura are left with dug-up roads and empty buckets. The cleanliness of Indore was always about what people could see on the surface. Now, we are seeing the ugly truth of what was hidden underground.

This crisis is a wake-up call for every city in India. Being clean isn’t just about sweeping the streets for an award; it’s about making sure the most basic human need water doesn’t become a death sentence.