Water woes in Madhya Pradesh: 2 dead, many sick after drinking contaminated water

Due to the scorching summer heat, accessing potable water has become a challenge for people across Madhya Pradesh. This summer, people are witnessing unprecedented water shortage in the state, including in the capital city of Bhopal.

In Madhya Pradesh, water shortage is a recurring issue every summer.

On Thursday, a video surfaced on social media showing some women scaling the wall of a deep well to fetch water in a village in Dindori district.

A more drastic incident has occurred in Narsinghpur district where two people died and many fell ill after reportedly drinking contaminated water on Thursday.

As per official reports, around 30 people were admitted to a government hospital after they complained of stomach ache due to consuming contaminated water.

A senior doctor at the hospital where these people are being treated told IANS, "There was a rush of complaints of stomach pain and it came to be known that it occurred due to contaminated water. The district administration has ordered a probe into the matter.

"Around 30 people were admitted to the hospital, of which two persons have died while the others are undergoing treatment. A health team has been deployed in the village from where this incident was reported," said a doctor posted in the Narsinghpur district hospital.

Last week, after a review meeting of Jal Jeevan Mission, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that in a span of two years, the mission has registered a stupendous rise from 17.5 lakh to more than 50 lakh tap water connections in the state.

The state government has fixed a target of 1.22 crore rural families for supplying tap water connection under the Jal Jeevan Mission by 2024. The government's reports claimed that schools and anganwadis operating in the rural areas are also being provided tap water connection under this mission.