Toxic water crisis in Indore; free treatment or false promise?:Man’s kidneys fail after vomiting diarrhoea; son says, ‘We don’t want compensation, just want our father back’

A sense of grief and helplessness has spread across Bhagirathpura in Indore. Life was normal here until a few weeks ago, but negligence by the municipal corporation changed everything. Contaminated water claimed 16 lives and caused deep suffering to hundreds of families, losses that cannot be undone. This story is not only about those who died, but also about the survivors who are now moving from one hospital to another, barely holding on to life. 62-year-old Akash Maurya is one such victim. He is admitted to MY Hospital in Indore, where his kidneys have failed, and he is surviving on dialysis. His family alleges that this condition is not just due to contaminated water, but also because of serious negligence in the government hospital system, which pushed a previously healthy man to the edge of death. From vomiting and diarrhea to dialysis in seven days Tears in his eyes and anger in his voice, Akash Maurya’s son Amit recalls the traumatic week. He says his father was completely healthy, woke up at 5 am, left for work by 7 am, and had no history of serious illness. Last Sunday, Akash developed vomiting and diarrhoea, symptoms common across the neighbourhood at the time. The family took him to MY Hospital, expecting proper treatment at a government facility. Amit says they were shocked when doctors immediately claimed his father had a heart problem. Despite repeatedly telling them that Akash never suffered from any heart disease, their concerns were ignored. How did the kidneys fail in 7 days?
The family’s biggest and most poignant question is how a patient admitted only for the treatment of vomiting and diarrhea ended up needing dialysis within seven days. Amit says, We were so scared that we couldn’t understand anything. The doctors used to say that the condition was very serious, and the kidneys had stopped working. Today, the situation is that diseases my father never had are all recorded in the hospital papers, and our father is hovering between life and death. Hollow claim of free treatment
As soon as the Bhagirathpura incident came to light, the government, administration, and local public representatives made big claims. From the Chief Minister to the local MLA, everyone announced that all victims would receive completely free treatment. But the ordeal of the Maurya family exposes these claims. Amit says, Kailash Vijayvargiya ji also said, CM sir also said that not a single penny would be charged for treatment. But the reality is that we have only received a bed here, and doctors come to check once a day. We are asked to get every small and big test done from outside. Medicines have to be brought from outside. Earning members of the family in hospital Akash Maurya was the main earner of the family, while his elder son Amit works as a labourer, and the younger son is a plumber. There are 10 members in the household. Amit says that for the past seven days, all three earning members have been staying at the hospital, leaving the family with no income. He adds that the situation became so severe that they had to send their children away from home. When his younger daughter also suffered from diarrhoea, both children were sent to their maternal grandmother’s house to keep them safe from the illness and the contaminated environment. ‘Councillor said – don’t come to me’
When there was no hearing at the hospital and the financial burden increased, the family appealed to local councillor Kamal Waghela for help. But they were met with disappointment there too. According to Amit, The councillor clearly said that if treatment is ongoing, go there. Why are you coming to me? Now you tell me, when our elected representative turns their back, where do we go with our pain? Even at the hospital, the family is not being given any clear information. Amit says, Doctors come, write something on a slip, and leave. We ask what the report says, but get no answer. They just say that it’s a government hospital, treatment will be as it is, don’t interfere in between.