Gandacherra, Apr 24, 2023, TRIPURA TIMES Desk

Gandachhera, Apr 14: Irked at prolonged water shortages, women locked the Drinking Water Resource Office in Gandachhara in Tripura on Monday. Shatghat and part of Haripur, situated in Gandachhra sub-division, have been grappling with a drinking water crisis for many years.  

The protesters claim that despite several written complaints to the department, no effective action was taken to resolve the problem. 

A local resident voiced her discontent, stating, "We have informed the department several times in writing about the drinking water problem, but no action has been taken, so far. Frustrated at the negligence of the department, we, the agitating villagers locked up the staff inside the office."

Residents also complained that the water from the Sarma River was supplied directly without filtering in the past, causing people of all ages to suffer from stomach ailments after drinking the contaminated water.

After the protest, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of the department rushed to the scene and assured the residents that water would be supplied to them through a pipeline from another scheme within the next 15 days.

The SDO expressed regret for the long-standing problem of drinking water that the locals have been facing and promised to take special initiatives to resolve it. After the assurance, villagers unlocked and freed the staff.