Why in News?
- At least 17 deaths in Indore linked to contaminated drinking water.
- Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) audit highlights massive loss of treated water in Madhya Pradesh’s two largest cities.
- Madhya Pradesh High Court has:
- Declared access to clean drinking water a fundamental right.
- Sought a status report from the State government.
- Rising hospital admissions and public protests have intensified scrutiny.
Relevance
- GS-2 | Governance & Social Justice
- Right to clean drinking water (Article 21)
- Municipal governance, accountability, judicial intervention
- GS-3 | Infrastructure & Public Health
- Urban water management, non-revenue water, service delivery failures
Key Audit Findings (CAG)
Massive “Non-Revenue Water” Losses
- Indore:
- Water loss: 65–70% (2013–18).
- Bhopal:
- Water loss: 30–49%.
- Losses include:
- Physical losses: pipeline leaks, joint failures, reservoir overflows.
- Non-physical losses: theft, illegal connections, faulty meters, wastage.
Gap Between Water Drawn and Water Supplied
- Large discrepancy between:
- Raw water extracted.
- Water actually reaching households.
- CAG rejected municipal claims of lower losses as unsubstantiated.
Per Capita Water Supply Below Norms
- Bhopal:
- Claimed: 135 LPCD (litres per capita per day).
- CAG-estimated: 122 LPCD.
- Indore:
- Target: 150 LPCD.
- Claimed: 105 LPCD.
- Actual (CAG): 58 LPCD.
- Indicates chronic under-delivery despite high water abstraction.
Large Number of Unconnected Households
- As of 2018:
- Bhopal: ~1.43 lakh households without water connections.
- Indore: ~2.68 lakh households without water connections.
- Forces dependence on unsafe or informal water sources.
Public Health Dimension
- Contaminated water linked to:
- Kidney failure.
- Rising hospital admissions.
- Health crisis exposes:
- Direct linkage between infrastructure neglect and mortality.
Judicial Intervention
- Madhya Pradesh High Court observations:
- Clean drinking water = Article 21 (Right to Life).
- “No compromise” on water quality.
- Multiple PILs under hearing.
- Next hearing scheduled for 15 January 2026.
Governance & Policy Significance
- Highlights failures in:
- Urban local body capacity.
- Infrastructure maintenance.
- Public service delivery.
- Shows importance of:
- Audit institutions (CAG).
- Judicial oversight in basic services.
- Raises questions on:
- Sustainable urban water management.
- Accountability of municipal corporations.
