India, Jan. 6 -- The Madhya Pradesh high court has directed chief secretary Anurag Jain to appear before it virtually in connection with the outbreak of waterborne diseases that claimed at least 10 lives in Indore's Bhagirathpura.

Officials on Monday said over half of the groundwater samples taken from borewells in Bhagirathpura tested positive for E coli bacteria, a day after the outbreak.

The high court's Indore bench issued the summons to Jain while hearing five petitions related to the outbreak due to contaminated water. "If the drinking water itself is contaminated, it is a matter of grave concern. We want to hear from the chief secretary, Anurag Jain, in this matter virtually on January 15, as this problem is not limited to just o...