High Court Demands Safeguarding Records Amid Bhagirathpura Water Crisis

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the preservation of records related to the Bhagirathpura water contamination crisis. The court emphasized safe custody of tender and pollution control documents. It also ordered medical care and safe water provision and sought further compliance from the state on interim directives.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has intervened in the Bhagirathpura water crisis, demanding the preservation of essential records. These records include original pipeline tenders and pollution board reports. This comes in response to fears expressed by petitioners' lawyers about possible tampering of crucial documents.

A bench, led by Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi, heard several public interest litigations over alleged deaths caused by contaminated water. The court has mandated free medical care, provision of safe drinking water, and infrastructure upgrades. Further, the High Court scheduled another hearing for January 27, summoning Chief Secretary Anurag Jain for online attendance.

Despite government claims of action, petitioners accuse authorities of shirking accountability. The High Court proposed an independent monitoring committee to ensure adherence to interim directives, amid disagreements about the death toll and the effectiveness of government-appointed committees.

(With inputs from agencies.)