Indian minister falls ill after drinking ‘holy’ river water

AN INDIAN minister was taken to hospital after drinking from a polluted “holy” river to show residents it was safe.

Bhagwant Mann, chief minister of the northern state of Punjab, was airlifted to New Delhi after drinking from the Kali Bein river, which residents have long complained was dirty.

A well-known environmentalist and a fellow parliamentarian had invited Mr Mann to the 22nd anniversary of an annual clean of the river in Sultanpur Lodhi, Punjab.

A video showing Mr Mann scooping up a glass of water, believed to be polluted with sewage waste, was widely shared.

About 80 villages and six towns sit along the banks of the 165km river and their wastewater flows into it.

A senior official in Punjab, who asked to remain anonymous, said that pollutant water, mainly sewage waste, flows into the river.

“We frequently receive complaints from people that the river is being polluted by the sewage waste coming out of these residential areas,” they added.

In March, Mr Mann was elected as chief minister of Punjab on a platform which focused on safe drinking water for residents.

The region has India’s highest incidence of cancers, owing to contaminated water as a result of rapid industrialisation.

Mr Mann has launched a campaign to clean rivers and drains across the state.

The Aam Admi Party (AAP), to which Mr Mann belongs, said in a statement: “Bhagwant Mann drank water from the Bein and said that he was blessed to have got this opportunity.”

AAP leaders denied Mr Mann had any infection, insisting he went to the hospital for a routine checkup and was discharged that evening.