Baripada: With the mercury level rising, water crisis has gripped most parts of Baripada town in Mayurbhanj district. Upset over the short supply of water, the residents, particularly women staged an agitation by blocking the Station Road for four hours Monday.
Carrying empty pitchers and buckets, the women laid siege to the road at 7:30 am and the blockade continued till 11:30 am. The male agitators performed the protest by burning the tyres. Vehicular movement was disrupted for hours.
The women alleged that they have been facing a lot of difficulty in arranging drinking water due to lack of supply. From last one week the public health department (PHD) has allegedly stopped the supply of drinking water to Ward-13 in the city.
The police and officials of the PHD held talks with the agitating women and assured them that the problem will be sorted out soon. A report from Baripada town said people of Ward nos—11, 12 and 13 were suffering from water-crisis.
Residents of the wards alleged that due to the negligence of the department, water from the overhead tank is continuously leaking to the nearest lake. As a result the residents in the ward are not getting supply water in proper time.
They further alleged that though the PHD officials are well aware about the problem, they are not taking any action to supply water in time to the wards.
PNN