Demanding that water be supplied regularly to Alukuli panchayat in Gobichettipalayam, over 200 villagers blocked the Dindigul – Mysuru National Highway at Gobichettipalayam Pirivu Road with empty pots here on Monday.
Villagers said that there are over 2,000 people in Gobipalayam and Bodichinnampalayam villages that come under the panchayat.
Drinking water is supplied through a combined water supply scheme to these villages. However, they said that water is supplied for less than an hour once in four days in the last six months.
This led to acute drinking water shortage in the villages forcing people to purchase water from the market.
The issue was taken up with the panchayat officials and the district administration many times. But no action has been taken so far, they added.
They wanted borewells to be dug in their area and regular water supply be ensured. People with empty pots blocked the road here disrupting flow of vehicles on the national highway.
Gobichettipalayam DSP Selvam, police personnel from Kadathur and Gobichettipalayam police station held talks with the people. Since, the people are not ready to give up their protest, the police threatened to arrest them that resulted in altercation.
Later, Gobichettipalayam tahsildar Boopathi held talks with the protesters and promised to supply water regularly. The protest was withdrawn and traffic resumed after one-and-a-half hours.
