Rayagada: On a day when the entire state was celebrating 75th Independence Day, women of a block headquarters in Odisha’s Rayagada district staged a road blockade in protest against disruption in drinking water supply for more than 15 days.
In Kalyansinghpur block headquarters, which had reported cholera infection among several people due to consumption of polluted water, the pipe drinking water supply to houses has been stopped for 16 days.
According to sources, the water and sanitation department had removed old pipes for drinking water supply to the town and laid new ones during road widening work. But the pipes have not been connected to the houses till date.
With cholera infection fresh in mind, the women of the town came down to the main road and staged a road blockade in the morning. Holding water containers like buckets, vessels and bowels, they raised slogans demanding resumption of water supply.
As the traffic movement on the road was disrupted due to the agitation, local BDO Balaram Patra along with police and officials of rural water supply department rushed to the spot. They tried to persuade the women to withdraw the agitation, but the latter stuck to their demand and continued the stir.
Finally, the BDO assured of restoring water supply in a day and the road blockade was withdrawn by the women.
