Explore Business Standard
Water Crisis
In view of recent deaths after consuming contaminated water in Indore, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to carry out stringent checks to prevent any such tragedy in the national capital, officials said on Wednesday. The Delhi government has issued a set of directives to DJB which are to be implemented with immediate effect. "Intensify regular inspections of all water supply pipelines, particularly in areas where drinking water lines run in proximity to sewer lines, to detect and repair any leaks, damages, or potential points of cross-contamination immediately," the directions state. Deploy dedicated teams for round-the-clock vigilance and maintenance in high-density and vulnerable areas, the directions to the DJB's CEO added. Earlier this month, at least 16 people died after consuming contaminated water in Indore's Bhagirathpura area leaving many more people who are admitted to hospitals. Among other directions, the Delhi government h
As many as 142 people are currently hospitalised amid an outbreak of diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water in Indore, including 11 in ICUs, even as 20 new patients were detected during screening of over 9,000 people in Bhagirathpura area, the ground zero of infection. Health teams examined 9,416 individuals from 2,354 households during an ongoing survey in Bhagirathpura, where six persons have lost their lives due to contaminated water, and identified 20 fresh cases, officials said on Sunday. According to officials, 398 patients had been admitted to hospitals so far following the outbreak. Of them, 256 patients have been discharged after recovery. They stated that 142 patients are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals, including 11 admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). The outbreak is under control now, they added. Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Madhav Prasad Haasani said a team from the Kolkata-based National Institute for Research in Bacterial Infections
Six people have died and more than 200 were hospitalised in an outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city, a senior official said on Saturday. Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava had on Friday said that he had received information about the deaths of 10 patients due to the outbreak, while residents of the Bhagirathpura area have claimed that 16 people, including a six-month-old child, have died. "At present, 203 patients are undergoing treatment in 41 hospitals across the city and six people have died," Collector Shivam Verma told PTI Videos. Of the patients admitted to hospitals, 34 are in the intensive care units (ICUs), and their treatment is being monitored specially. The Madhya Pradesh government has shunted out the Indore municipal commissioner and suspended two senior officials in view of the health crisis that emerged in the Bhagirathpura area. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday said he has ordered the "removal"
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted the BJP's double-engine government in Madhya Pradesh after at least 10 people died allegedly due to contaminated water in Indore and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is always silent whenever poor die. Gandhi alleged that Madhya Pradesh has become the epicentre of misgovernance and cited various instances of casualties reportedly due to cough syrups, poor hygiene at government hospitals and now due to contaminated water. "Not water, but poison was distributed in Indore, and the administration remained in deep slumber," he said in a post on X in Hindi. "Every home is filled with mourning, the poor are helpless - and on top of that, BJP leaders are making arrogant statements. Those who lost their lives and livelihoods needed solace; the government offered arrogance," he said. Senior MP cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday triggered a controversy after he used an objectionable word on camera ghanta (loosely translating to
The Centre has directed all states and Union Territories to share details of contractors and third-party inspection agencies against whom penalties have been imposed under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), official sources said on Monday. The instruction is part of a wider directive from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which has asked Chief Secretaries to submit comprehensive reports, sources said. Contractors and inspection agencies against whom penalties have been imposed, blacklisting orders issued or recoveries made for irregularities under the JJM are to be included in the list, according to official sources. The DDWS has also sought information on action taken against officials of the Public Health Engineering Departments (PHED), including suspensions, removals, and FIRs registered in connection with complaints of substandard work or misuse of funds. States have further been asked to provide one-page summaries of each case
Expressing concern over the growing water crisis, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed officials to turn the construction and restoration of check dams and ponds into a mass movement on the lines of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. Chairing a review meeting of the Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply (Minor Irrigation) department, he said such structures are a national necessity, offering cost-effective water conservation and groundwater recharge compared to large dams, the UP government said in a statement. Adityanath informed that 6,448 check dams have been built across seasonal rivers and streams, creating irrigation potential for 1.28 lakh hectares and recharging over 10,000 hectare-metres of groundwater annually. Since 2022-23, 1,002 check dams have been de-silted, while 1,343 ponds out of 16,610 have been redeveloped. Between 2017 and 2025, 6,192 blast coupes were constructed, providing irrigation for 18,576 hectares. He further directed that ...
The Delhi government has flagged gaps in water and power availability in 799 schools across the city and directed officials to take urgent measures to address them. A report compiled by the education department, based on data collected from schools through forms, highlighted critical infrastructure issues affecting their daily functioning. According to the report, out of 703 schools connected to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Municipal Engineering Services, 59 schools reported intermittent water supply while 48 schools reported erratic or no supply at all. These schools are being compelled to rely on tanker services or submersible pumps for their water needs. Additionally, 22 schools were found to be fully tanker-dependent, with four of them having applied for DJB connections, the report stated. The report also found that 10 schools have no water supply. Among them, three are undergoing reconstruction while seven depend on neighbouring schools or tankers. Of these, two schools have
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi will inaugurate a new chemical laboratory at the National Test House in Ghaziabad on September 10, as the country seeks to strengthen quality testing capabilities across various industries. The state-of-the-art facility will test packaged drinking water, natural mineral water, food packaging materials, and construction materials, including cement and metals, according to an official statement. The laboratory has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards and holds approvals from the Bureau of Indian Standards, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, and under the Fertilizer Control Order of 1985. Equipment includes atomic absorption spectrometers, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry systems, and high-performance liquid chromatography instruments to conduct sophisticated analyses across diverse sectors, the Food and Consumer ...