Water Crisis

Datanomics: Madhya Pradesh records few bacterial contamination cases

Madhya Pradesh recorded 40 cases of bacteriological contamination in water samples in 2025-26 as of January 2, 2026, accounting for 0.15 per cent of all cases in the country

Indore water crisis: 142 hospitalised as 20 new diarrhoea cases detected

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

Indore water crisis: Six dead, more than 200 hospitalised, says collector

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"

PM stays silent whenever poor die: Rahul slams BJP over Indore water crisis

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

Indore water contamination: Residents 'no longer trust' water supply

The chaos over the contaminated water crisis in Indore's Bhagirathpura has claimed at least four lives and left several ill

Toxic aquifer beneath our feet: India faces its worst groundwater crisis

The most striking finding is the presence of uranium contamination across North India

Explained: Why Iran is facing its worst-ever water crisis in decades

Iran is facing its worst drought in nearly a century.

Govt seeks data on contractors, agencies penalised under Jal Jeevan Mission

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

CM calls for mass movement on check dams, ponds to tackle UP water crisis

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 ...

Only a third of world rivers had water within normal range in 2024: WMO

Only a third of rivers had normal flows in 2024 while glaciers shrank for the third year, WMO report warns, urging stronger monitoring and data sharing to avert future crises

Delhi govt flags water, electricity issues in 799 schools, calls for action

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

New advanced chemical testing lab to enhance quality checks for food, water

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 ...

England's water crisis renews focus on data centre cooling and consumption

England's drought is putting attention on data centres, which use large amounts of water to keep servers cool, adding to the pressure on already low water supplies

Telangana, Andhra Pradesh CMs to attend Centre's meeting on water issues

Both the Chief Ministers have previously expressed their willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue

Facing crisis, Pak sent four letters to India asking it to end IWT abeyance

India has stated that the treaty will stay in abeyance until Islamabad "credibly and permanently" halts its support for cross-border terrorism

Cities must see water as a strategic tool to balance economy, ecology

As India navigates through the complexities of sustainable development, the blue economy offers a compelling strategy to align urban development with social inclusion and environmental resilience

HC tells Punjab govt to release water, not obstruct Bhakra dam operations

The court expressed serious concern over the alleged conduct of the Punjab administration, comparing the situation to actions taken against hostile countries

Punjab-Haryana water dispute explained: What's causing the water crisis?

Haryana sought 8,500 cusecs of water, 4,500 cusecs more than its usual share, from the Bhakra-Nangal project, which was rejected by Punjab, causing tensions to rise between the states

Saving water: India needs a balanced management template to avert crisis

Though big dams such as the Sardar Sarovar and pipe-building programmes such as the Har Ghar Nal Yojana seek to address the issue of access, the real challenge is ensuring balanced water ecology

DK Shivakumar hints at 1 paisa per litre water tariff hike in Bengaluru

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is likely to hike the city's water tariff by one paisa per litre. Defending the Congress government amid the BJP's protests against rising prices, he accused the saffron party of being "anti-farmer" for opposing the milk price hike, asserting that the increase was intended to benefit farmers. On Wednesday, the BJP launched a statewide day and night' protest against the Congress government, accusing it of imposing a financial burden on the public by increasing the prices of milk and diesel, hiking power tariffs, and raising bus and metro fares, among other measures. "BJP is not talking about the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) reducing power tariffs for certain sections. As for the milk price hike, shouldn't we support farmers? Let them (the BJP-led central government) reduce the prices of cattle fodder, petrol, and diesel to help farmers. BJP