Villagers protest on the road demanding water supply

CH NEWS, KALABURAGI The drinking water problem has intensified in the district amid the drought, and villagers have taken to the streets in many places to protest, demanding water supply. Villagers in Avarada (B) village have been facing drinking water problems for the past two months and have blocked the national highway in protest, alleging that the village's borewells have been damaged but the gram panchayat has not repaired them. The villagers, who took to the road with empty pots, blocked the highway for about two hours and expressed their anger. This completely stopped the vehicular traffic and caused a huge traffic jam for about 5 km from the protest site, causing hardship to the passengers. The villagers demanded a permanent solution to the drinking water problem of the village. They also expressed their anger against the negligence of the Gram Panchayat and the people's representatives. Due to the poor JJM work carried out in the village, pipes have broken everywhere. Water is being wasted. Motors and wires have burnt out. The PDO is acting irresponsibly by saying that the panchayat does not have money for repairs, he said. Bennetora reservoir, which has a storage capacity of about 5 TMC of water, is just 10 km away. Water is supplied to Kalaburagi through a pipeline passing over the village. However, the villagers are outraged that the village faces water shortage every year. Upon learning of the matter, the PDO, Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers and Nodal Officers were called to the spot. As the officers arrived, the villagers expressed their anger and demanded action against the PDO and staff who had not responded despite bringing the matter to their attention through protests twice a month. As a result, water problems have arisen in many parts of the district, and people are facing the fear of water scarcity. Meanwhile, the Bhima River is drying up, and people and animals on the banks of the river are facing water scarcity.