Agartala, July 22:In a dramatic display of public anger, residents of Durgapur in Kailasahar town under Unakoti district of Tripura blocked roads on Tuesday over a prolonged six-month drinking water crisis, despite regularly paying their water tax.
Enraged locals women of Ward No. 15 and 16 under the Kailasahar Municipal Council set tires ablaze and staged a road blockade, protesting against the complete lack of potable water in their area. The residents claimed that despite repeated complaints to the municipal authorities, no permanent solution has been provided.
“There is no water for the past six months, yet the municipality demands water tax regularly. Without paying, they even refuse to issue necessary documents,” said a local homemaker who participated in the protest.
She further added, “How can people survive without water? Children are going to school without bathing, and elderly residents are falling ill after drinking dirty pond water. How long will this continue?”
Residents alleged that Wards 15 and 16 of Durgapur have long been neglected, and while water tankers are sent as temporary relief to other areas during crises, Durgapur is consistently left out—almost as if deliberately.
The road blockade caused significant disruption to local traffic, with several vehicles stranded and internal movement within Kailasahar town severely affected.
Security forces personnels tried to convince them to withdraw the blockade, however, the blockade continued with the agitated crowd demanding immediate action from authorities.
The Tripura government, working in mission mode under the Jal Jeevan Mission, aims to provide tap water connections to every household and claims to have covered over 80 percent of homes. However, frequent protests and road blockades continue to erupt in various parts of the state, as residents demand regular access to clean drinking water. These disruptions in supply are often attributed to damage caused to pipelines during developmental activities, largely due to a lack of coordination among different departments.
