INDORE: Two years after the Madhya Pradesh government paid him Rs 4 lakh as outstanding dues of Hukumchand Mill that was closed in 1991, Digambar Wade (79) has received a Rs 2 lakh cheque as compensation for his 75-year-old wife Manjula Wade’s death due to contaminated water supply in India’s cleanest city Indore.
Digambar, father of three married daughters, harboured dreams of going on a religious trek with his wife. “We had big plans of happily living together with memories of our young days, but the contaminated water has shattered the dreams forever,” he said.
“For last two-three years, we had become accustomed to dirty water initially coming from the tap. After the first few buckets, the water used to become drinkable. But on December 28, 2025 the tap water not only remained dirty, but tasted extremely bitter.
A day later, Manjula started vomiting and reported loose motions. She was rushed by the administration to the hospital, but my wife returned dead on December 30 night,” he added.
Digambar represents 18 of those families, who have lost their loved ones in Bhagirathpura locality due to contaminated water. In the next lane, 56-year-old Shobha Panwar sits close to the garlanded picture of husband Ashok Lal Panwar, who died on December 26 due to diarrhoeal outbreak.
“My husband and son Rahul ran the family by working as daily wage labourers. But now young Rahul is solely responsible for running the family. For a year, my Rs 600 monthly disability pension isn’t coming to my bank account,” said Shobha.
The adjacent lane of ward no. 11 houses the extended Barede family, which lost its eldest member Jiwan Lal (80) on December 28. “My kaka sasur (uncle father-in-law) vomited the entire night, just like three other members of the family of 22 did. While three survived, he died. My mother-in-law has turned into a living dead,” said Radha (62).
Around a kilometre away, two houses facing each other narrate a curious tale of neighbours turning family members. Elderly auto-driver Banshilal Kushwah’s wife Kaushalya was rushed to the hospital by her two daughters-in-law.
She came back alive, but she was shocked to know that her neighbour and Rakhi brother, retired railway employee Nandlal Pal, had died.
“Nandlal Bhaiya’s wife died 15 years back. For the last few years, he remained ill due to which his daughter-in-law returned to father’s house 10 months back. On December 28 night, when Bhaiya fell ill, his cab driver son Siddharth Pal was away in Omkareshwar. My younger son Ashish rushed him to the hospital,” Kaushalya said.