The road roko by residents of Thorapadi for water on Friday witnessed a clash between AIADMK cadre and the public.
More than 300 persons led by ward 49 councillor K Sukumar (AIADMK) gathered on the Vellore-Bagayam Road on Friday morning demanding water. They complained that they have not been receiving water for the past one month and noted that only when road rokos were held they were supplied with water for some time.
They also demanded that the local body take steps to supply water in regular intervals to their area and bring a permanent solution to the problem.
During the road roko, former minister for health and Vellore MLA Dr V S Vijay passed by the area to receive grievances petitions from the residents of Jeeva Nagar in Thorapadi. While the talks were going on between the protestors and the MLA, accompanying AIADMK party cadre got into an argument with the members of the public. The argument grew into a clash, after which police arrived on the spot and pacified the agitators.
Corporation Commissioner P Janaki Raveendran, Zone 4 - Shenbakkam president K Ayyappan and Zonal Officer in-charge M Kannan, who arrived at the spot assured protestors that steps would be taken to supply water. Traffic was affected for one-and-a-half hours on the busy road.
Ward 49 councillor K Sukumar said the area has been receiving water from the Rajiv Gandhi Nagar water tank in Allapuram once in five days. Following a road roko on Friday, tanker lorries were used to supply water. From 7 loads it dropped to 2 loads and now it had increased to 8 loads daily. Three hand-pumps out of 32 were out of order and were restored on Friday, he said.