Indore. Several shocking facts came to light during the High Court hearing on Thursday regarding Indore’s infamous Bhagirathpura contaminated water scandal. Serious questions were raised about the Municipal Corporation’s functioning. The court found that the corporation had not yet presented many important records to the investigation committee. Taking a strict stance, the court directed the Municipal Corporation to submit all necessary documents to the investigation committee within 10 days.
During the hearing, lawyers informed the court that residents of the Bhagirathpura area had complained of a strong, medicinal-like odor in the tap water. Some also said the water was turbid in color. Several people who drank this water suddenly fell ill. Their conversations and statements have been recorded and stored on pen drives, which will be presented in court.
Potassium Chloride is being added to the tank
During the hearing, senior advocate Ajay Bagaria claimed in court that potassium chloride (KCl) tablets were placed in the overhead tank in Ward No. 11 of Bhagirathpura. The petition states that potassium chloride is not an approved chemical for drinking water purification. It is neither a chlorination agent nor a germicidal substance. If these tablets were placed in the tank, it would constitute unauthorized interference with the municipal water supply system, which is extremely dangerous to public health.
The petitioner also claimed that the tablets were not procured through the municipal corporation’s official procurement process, but were purchased from a private shop. They were then dumped into the tank based on verbal instructions. The court also demanded an impartial police investigation into the matter.
The court was told that five people are responsible for maintaining the overhead tank that supplies water to the Bhagirathpura area. Three of these employees are from the Municipal Corporation, while two are reportedly associated with the private company, Ramki Industries. The roles of all of them are being investigated.
During the hearing, it was also informed that Indore city’s drinking water supply primarily comes from the Narmada Water Scheme, the Yashwant Sagar Dam, and the Bilawali Lake. Water from these sources is purified at water purification centers and then sent to approximately 108 to 110 overhead tanks throughout the city, from where water is supplied to various areas through pipelines.
The court was told that the water supply from Jaldu to the third last tank was found to be completely clean and up to standard standards. However, the water supply to the Bhagirathpura area was found to be contaminated at the second last tank. This further deepens the suspicion that the water contamination occurred at the tank level.
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