Locals block NH-55 demanding water in Odisha’s Athagarh

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, May 6: 

Hundreds of villagers today blocked National Highway – 55 near Oranda village under Athagarh block of Odisha’s Cuttack demanding facilitation of drinking water in the area.

Agitators, including women and children, blocked the highway with pots, buckets and shouted slogans against the administration.

“We hardly get any drinking water for ourselves here. Forget about the water to feed out livestock and for household chores. We have been demanding facilitation of water to the administration time and again, but in vain. That is why today we resorted to road blockade,” said an agitator.

Vehicular communication was badly hit on the road because of the demonstration. Hundreds of vehicles on both sides were seen stranded in scorching heat.

While Gurudijhatia police station IIC and ABDO reached the spot to talk the agitators out of the blockade, the ABDO was immediately gheraoed by the angry villagers.

Later, the villagers released him and the blockade was lifted after the administration assured of water supply to the village.