NGT probes Indore water crisis, fatal delays and ignored complaints under scrutiny

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a six-member high-level committee to investigate widespread water contamination in Madhya Pradesh , following several deaths in Indore linked to drinking contaminated water. The order was issued on Thursday by the Central Zone Bench of the NGT, chaired by Justice Shiv Kumar Singh and expert member Ishwar Singh , after hearing a petition filed by green activist Kamal Kumar Rathi . The petition highlighted that water samples from Bhopal ponds contained faecal coliform levels as high as 1600 ml, and that leaking sewage lines were contaminating municipal drinking water, a violation of citizens’ constitutional right to life under Article 21 . The NGT held the state government, Pollution Control Board, and local authorities accountable, directing the panel to submit a report within six weeks. The committee comprises experts from IIT Indore, Central Pollution Control Board (Bhopal), the state environment and urban development departments, water resources department, and the MP Pollution Control Board. Copies of the order have been sent to all district collectors and municipal commissioners to ensure immediate compliance.

The crisis in Indore had a long gestation. Residents of Bhagirathpura first raised alarms about contaminated water on October 15, 2025 , reporting foul smell, discoloration, and health issues to municipal helplines. Further complaints continued in November 2025 , yet authorities failed to take effective action. By late December 2025 , the situation escalated into a severe health emergency. Residents suffered widespread waterborne diseases, leading to hospitalisation of over 440 people and multiple fatalities , including infants and elderly citizens. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of E. coli, faecal coliform, and Vibrio cholerae in the drinking water.

The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) had long identified the risks posed by ageing pipelines. A file to lay a new Narmada water pipeline for Bhagirathpura was prepared on November 12, 2024 , under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme , but execution was repeatedly delayed. A tender was floated on July 30, 2025 , yet no significant work took place until the work order was issued on December 26, 2025 , days after fatalities had begun. The delay left pipelines vulnerable to leakage and sewage intrusion, which played a key role in the contamination crisis.

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced ex-gratia compensation of ₹2 lakh to the families of 21 deceased victims, although some families refused the money, arguing that financial relief cannot replace their loved ones. Authorities suspended senior civic officials and took corrective measures, including shutting down contaminated tubewells and planning technology-driven monitoring systems such as GIS mapping of pipelines and a mobile app for real-time water quality updates.

Public outrage intensified after a viral video showed journalist Anurag questioning the local MLA about sewage mixing with drinking water, to which the MLA reportedly responded dismissively, “ghanta farak nahi padta” . Residents protested, marching while carrying bells (ghantas) to symbolically highlight the indifference and demand immediate remedial action.

In response to the crisis, the NGT has mandated strict water monitoring, including mandatory chlorination, aeration, cleaning of tanks, pipeline repairs, removal of encroachments around water sources, ward-wise rationing during scarcity, rainwater harvesting, and prohibition of idol immersion in drinking water bodies. Officials are also instructed to install meters on domestic and commercial connections and to plan for water supply through tankers during emergencies. Experts and activists argue that the Indore tragedy exposes years of neglect, ageing infrastructure, and weak monitoring, and serves as a warning for other cities in Madhya Pradesh and across India.

The NGT case will be heard next on March 30, 2026 , with the high-level panel’s report expected to provide detailed recommendations to prevent future crises. The facts, complaints lodged in October and November 2025, deaths in December 2025, pipeline sanctioned in November 2024 but work ordered only in late December 2025, contamination confirmed by lab tests, and compensation to 21 families, reflect a grim reality where administrative delay and ignored warnings had fatal consequences. This episode underscores that even in India’s cleanest city , negligence in water management can quickly escalate into a life-threatening crisis, raising urgent questions about public water safety across the country.