Women block road over drinking water shortage near Thalavadi

Women residents of Eripuram village near Thalavadi staged a road blockade on Friday morning, demanding restoration of drinking water supply to the village.

More than 300 families live in the village, which comes under Thalavadi panchayat. Residents said drinking water had not been supplied to the area for the past few months. They had been fetching water from nearby agricultural fields, but the availability of water in the fields had also declined.

The residents said they had been facing severe hardship and had been using rainwater for drinking purposes in recent days. Though they had repeatedly brought the issue to the notice of the panchayat administration, no steps had been taken to restore the supply, they alleged.

Carrying empty pots, the women blocked Eripuram–Thalavadi road, affecting vehicular movement. Buses, including school buses, were unable to pass through the stretch, resulting in severe disruption to traffic.

Officials from the panchayat and Revenue department, accompanied by police personnel, reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. The officials assured them that the motor at the defunct borewell would be repaired and steps taken to restore drinking water supply. They also assured the residents that measures were being taken to find a permanent solution to the water shortage. Following the assurance, the protesters dispersed. Traffic on the road was affected for more than two hours.