At least eight people have died, hundreds were hospitalised and thousands more were affected after consuming contaminated water in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, in a tragedy that has rocked the nation and also severely dented the image of Indore as a clean city. The case has now gone to court, and while the government claims the situation is under control, local residents allege that the death toll is much higher, and the water is still not safe. Tragically, the residents say they had been raising the issue of the unsafe water much before the deaths occurred, but no action was taken. At present, the cause is believed to be contamination through sewage leaking into the water pipeline supplying a residential area.

But why does the issue of contaminated water arise again and again in India? What is wrong with our water supply and delivery systems? And why is it that we are still unable to provide clean drinking water to millions of Indians?

Guest: Pradip Kalbar
Associate Professor Environmental Science and Engineering Department (ESED), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Host: Zubeda Hamid

Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices