BALASORE: Irked over the lack of drinking water supply, residents of Gohira, Totasahi and Polasahi villages under Teliapal panchayat in Balasore’s Nilagiri sub-division blocked Sergarh-Jharanaghati state highway-19 on Friday. The irate residents including women put water pots on the road near Sergarh, blocking the route for more than two hours.
An agitator Jadunath Mallick said the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) department has laid a pipeline to provide drinking water to residents of the three villages. However, the water supply has been hit for the last three months reportedly due to some technical glitch in the motor.
“We have approached the officials of the RWSS department several times in this regard. But there has been no change in the situation. Even local politicians have been apprised of the drinking water problem but to no avail,” he alleged.
Another protester Minati Singh said the residents were forced to block the state highway after the administration turned a blind eye to their problem.
As vehicular movement on the route came to a standstill due to the road blockade, Nilagiri police rushed to the spot and held discussions with the agitating villagers.
The blockade was withdrawn after RWSS officials assured to solve the drinking water problem with a couple of days.