Bhopal: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday wrote to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav demanding a high-level inquiry into the drowning of three minor tribal girls in Raisen district, calling it a “grave example of administrative negligence.”
The incident took place on May 23 in a tribal-dominated village in Gairatganj tehsil.
Three girls — 12-year-old Radha Gond, 13-year-old Tanu Gond, and 12-year-old Amrita Gond — drowned in a well while fetching water.
In his letter to the Chief Minister, Singh said the tragedy exposed the failure of the drinking water supply system. He cited a delegation led by Prabhat Chawla, Leader of the Opposition in Raisen Municipality, which informed him that the Nal-Jal Yojana in Sagaur has been shown as operational on paper since 2022, but villagers are still forced to search for water.
“This is not merely an accident, but a direct consequence of administrative apathy,” Singh stated. He added that the drinking water crisis has assumed grave proportions in many remote rural areas across Raisen district.
Singh demanded that accountability be fixed for officials and employees found at fault and that strict disciplinary action be taken. He also urged the state government to provide adequate financial assistance and other necessary support to the bereaved families.
“This heart-wrenching incident exposes the prevailing drinking water crisis in the region and the stark reality of tap water schemes on the ground,” Singh said.
He further demanded a comprehensive review of tap water schemes and drinking water supply systems across the entire state to ensure such incidents do not recur.
The three girls were close friends and had gone to the well as part of their daily routine. Villagers said the situation becomes more dire during the summer.
Police said the girls had gone to a well about one kilometre from the village. One slipped into the deep well, and the other two jumped in to save her. All three drowned. A fourth girl, Amina, who was with them, ran to the village to alert families.
(IANS)
