PCC chief Patwari’s ‘90% water unsafe’ claim sparks row:Mayor drinks tap water among residents, rejects allegations of widespread contamination

A political controversy over the quality of drinking water in Indore intensified on Monday after Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav publicly responded to claims made by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari. The mayor visited Sudama Nagar and drank tap water from residents’ homes, asserting that the city’s water supply is safe and fit for consumption. Congress alleged most of city’s water was unsafe A few days ago, Jitu Patwari claimed that nearly 90 per cent of Indore’s drinking water was unfit for consumption and that residents in several areas were receiving contaminated water. He had specifically alleged that water supplied in Sudama Nagar was harmful to public health. Mayor conducts public demonstration To counter the allegations, Mayor Bhargav visited the locations mentioned in the reported findings. In the presence of local residents, he drank tap water and described the Congress-backed report as misleading and not based on facts. He said the very water being labelled as “poisonous” was consumed by him publicly and pointed out that residents of the area had been using the same water for months without reporting any major health concerns. Questions raised over water sample data The mayor also questioned the methodology behind Patwari’s claims. According to Bhargav, Patwari had stated that 240 water samples were tested, but only a list of 130 individuals had been made public. He demanded that details of the remaining samples and testing locations be disclosed and said the Municipal Corporation was prepared to investigate any complaint related to water quality. Residents defend water supply Local residents supported the mayor’s position, stating that the area’s water supply had improved after connections linked to the Narmada project were introduced. They said they were receiving clean water and had not filed any complaints regarding contamination or water quality issues. Mayor accuses Congress of tarnishing city’s image Bhargav accused the Congress of attempting to damage Indore’s reputation. He argued that if the report was genuinely serious, it should have been released immediately and in full. The mayor said it was unfair to question the city’s entire water supply system based on a limited number of cases. He added that Indore is known for its cleanliness and civic services, and claims made without sufficient evidence could harm the city’s image.