Odisha women hurl bangles at civic body chief over water crisis

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Belpahar, May 23:

Aggrieved over acute drinking water shortage, around 200 women of Ward no.2 of   Belpahar town in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district barged into the chamber of the municipal chairman and hurled bangles at him to register their protest.

Residents of Ward no.2 of Belapahar Municipality had blocked national highway no. 49 for about five hours yesterday demanding adequate supply of drinking water in their ward. The protestors had lifted the blockade after authorities had assured them to supply drinking water through tankers.

On the other hand, the local councillor and municipal vice-chairman had allegedly locked the borewell located in the ward today. When women residents demanded unlocking of the bore-well, they were allegedly misbehaved by supporters of the municipal chairman.

Furious over the incident, women shouting slogans first lodged a complaint with the police at the local police station and marched towards the municipality office.

The protestors’ gheraoed municipal chairman Parsuram Sahu’s office and then barged into his chamber and hurled bangles at him.

“Some people misbehaved with girls today. We want justice. He has to either beg apology from us or quit his chair. In the last three years, no developmental work has been undertaken in ward no.2. We demand the arrest of the culprits,” said a woman protestor.

“They have beaten and misbehaved one of our sisters. We have come here to get justice. He should be arrested. Getting drinking water is our right. We are not going to budge from here till we get justice,” said another protestor.

“They had come to meet the Vice Chairman. They have given me a letter. They said no one has been misbehaved. They are like our sisters. My party BJD respects women. They have left after I convinced them. We will surely fulfill our promise with regard to the provision of drinking water,” informed Parsuram Sahu, Chairman, Belpahar Municipality.