Residents of the Mahakalapada block in Kendrapada district staged a protest on Sunday, placing pots and buckets on the road at Belara Nuagaon to demand safe drinking water and the repair of damaged pipelines. The demonstration disrupted bus and vehicle movement for nearly three hours, prompting officials to visit the village and engage with the protesters. They later assured the crowd that their concerns would be addressed.
Officials respond to water crisis
Subrat Sahoo, the assistant engineer of rural water supply and sanitation for Mahakalapada block, stated, "During summers, the groundwater level in many villages depletes, causing several tube wells to stop functioning. To address the water crisis, we are supplying drinking water through tankers in many villages and also repairing damaged water pipelines."
Residents voice grievances
Chittaranjan Sahoo (29) of Belaranuagaon village expressed frustration, saying, "We have been facing erratic water supply for a long time. Despite repeatedly bringing the issue to the attention of concerned officials, no action was taken." The residents also held a rally and shouted slogans demanding a regular or alternative water supply for their villages.
Bidyadhar Swain, the sarpanch of Teregaon panchayat, highlighted the root cause: "We have been demanding water since the pipelines laid by the government were damaged last year, resulting in leakage and no water supply to the villages. We have urged the authorities numerous times to repair the damaged pipelines and restore all defunct tube wells in our villages."
Mahendra Rout of Teregaon warned, "We will intensify our protest if the water supply department fails to provide water through tankers every day."
