Agartala, October 24: Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the Assam-Agartala national highway in Khowai district on Thursday as tribal women staged a protest demanding a supply of clean drinking water.
The blockade took place in the 36 Mile area under the jurisdiction of Mungiakami Police Station in Teliamura Subdivision.
According to the protesters, they have been facing a severe shortage of clean drinking water for over a month. With no proper water supply, the villagers have been forced to rely on stream water or stored water from various sources, leading to the spread of diseases in the area.
They added that despite repeated pleas to the authorities, no effective solution has been implemented and so the villagers resorted to blocking the national highway in an attempt to draw attention to their plight.
These remote areas often face water shortages, and similar road blockades have been organized in the past, but the administration’s promises have yet to translate into action.
The protest also disrupted the Chief Minister’s convoy, though the Chief Minister was not present in it as he was traveling by train to attend a program in Ambassa, Dhalai district.
The blockade was eventually lifted after several hours following the intervention of the Teliamura Subdivision administration and Mungiakami police, who once again assured the residents that clean drinking water would be supplied.
Frustration remains high among the residents, who have grown weary of unfulfilled promises from local authorities regarding this critical issue.
