Residents from various parts of Udhagamandalam affected by water shortage staged protests on Thursday.
In Ward 5 of the town near the Government Botanical Garden, more than 100 residents residing near the Kil Kodappamund area staged protests alleging that municipality tankers supplying water were not being allowed to enter their street by either the police, who were enforcing traffic control measures along Kotagiri Road, or the local resort owners, whose guests were parking their vehicles on the road and blocking it, forcing the tankers to head back.
Police as well as municipality officials held talks with the protesters and assured them that action would be taken to ensure that the tankers reached their homes.
In another incident, residents of Bandishola complained of erratic supply of water since January 2017, alleging that the local municipality workers were not releasing water to their area. The residents were on their way to Charring Cross to stage a protest, before V. Prabhakaran, Municipal Commissioner (in-charge), intervened and assured them that water would be supplied regularly. Locals said that water was released on Thursday afternoon.
Responding to the complaints, Mr. Prabhakaran said that the lack of water to the residents of Bandishola was because of a power outage at the Parson’s Valley Reservoir.
He said that the power outage had resulted in Tangedco and the municipality being unable to pump water to the town.
Officials also said that there was enough water in the reservoir, with water levels remaining at a steady 44 feet.
The municipality has been supplying water to the residents even during the drier months of January and February. It is expected that the water shortage will abate in the coming weeks, as rains have begun falling near the main reservoirs supplying water to Udhagamandalam.
