How you would have handled Bhagirathpura crisis, Indore candidates asked in UPSC interview

Indore: Indore candidates who cleared the UPSC written and faced interview panels this year were surprised when they were asked by the panel, how they would have reacted to the Bhagirathpura water contamination deaths if they were in charge of the district.The water contamination had claimed 22 lives as per state govt reply in the MP assembly during Dec 2025 and Jan-Feb 2026.Candidates said the panel used the Bhagirathpura water contamination case to test their administrative skills and quick reaction.Deeksha Chaurasia, 25, who cleared the examination with All India Rank 44, was asked to step into the shoes of a district magistrate facing a similar situation. "I said the first priority would be to ensure that the affected locality receives safe drinking water. Dedicated task forces should be formed to co-ordinate relief measures, monitor the situation closely, and address public concerns," she said.Samiksha Mishra, 31, who secured All India Rank 56 in the Civil Services Examination, recalled being asked how authorities ought to respond to a contamination crisis of this nature. "I explained that the immediate response should include setting up an investigation committee, conducting door-to-door health surveys, and ensuring public grievance hearings such as jal sunwai (water hearing). I also spoke about using technology-based monitoring systems to prevent such incidents in the future," she said.The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court constituted a one-man judicial commission, headed by a retired high court Judge, to examine how the contamination occurred, what role officials played, and whether the administration's response was adequate. The court is still seized with the matter.