Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday directed officials to ensure the uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water across the state, warning that no lapse in preventing contaminated water would be tolerated.
The directive followed the deaths of seven persons in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area after a diarrhoea outbreak triggered by the consumption of contaminated water. Yadav, who is also the guardian minister of Indore, said the responsibility of providing clean drinking water lay squarely with urban local bodies.
Addressing a high-level meeting at the airport here after returning from a visit to Sagar district, the chief minister launched a state-wide ‘Swachh Jal Abhiyan’ (Clean Water Campaign) aimed at ensuring potable water supply in both rural and urban areas, according to a government statement.
He instructed officials to carry out regular testing of drinking water quality and to make alternative arrangements immediately in case contamination was detected. “This is a big challenge, but it must be addressed with seriousness so that the state can set an example for the country,” Yadav said.
The chief minister reiterated the government’s commitment to better management of drinking water systems and urged public representatives and officials to discharge their responsibilities efficiently. He directed that all pipeline leakages be repaired promptly from a public health perspective so that clean water reached every household.
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The Clean Water Campaign will be implemented in two phases, from January 10 to February 28 and from March 1 to March 31. As part of the initiative, ‘Jal Sunwai’ (water grievance hearings) will be organised to address complaints related to drinking water. Yadav asked officials to treat these hearings with utmost seriousness.
The campaign, launched through video conferencing, focuses on water security, conservation and grievance redressal. It includes cleaning of water purification units and drinking water storage tanks, with monitoring through a GIS-based mapping application. Water and sewage pipelines will be mapped, interconnection points identified and leakages checked, including through robotic inspections.
Regular testing of drinking water sources and monitoring of sewage treatment plants will also be undertaken. The state government has made special arrangements for registering water-related complaints through helpline number 181, with assurances that applications will be resolved within a stipulated timeframe.
Urban Development and Housing Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey made a presentation on the initiative, stating that continuous public awareness campaigns would be conducted and that water quality testing would be available to citizens at nominal charges.
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