Papadahandi: Around 12:00 PM, residents of Paika Sahi in Papadahandi blocked the main national highway at the town center by placing items like earthen pots, buckets, water vessels, and other containers on the road as a form of protest.
The locals have long been suffering from a severe drinking water shortage. Despite repeatedly lodging oral and written complaints with the block administration and local panchayat, no proper solution was provided. Frustrated by the lack of action, they resorted to blocking the highway to draw attention to their plight.
As a result, traffic came to a halt for some time. Upon hearing the news, Block Vice-Chairman Sushant Kumar Behera and Police Officer Deepak Kumar Jena arrived at the spot to assess the situation and talk to the protestors.
They held discussions with the residents about how their drinking water issues could be resolved. Considering the ongoing heatwave, it was decided that daily water supply would be ensured for a longer duration, and tankers would be sent regularly to meet the community’s needs. The vice-chairman assured the residents that water would be supplied daily starting today.
Following this assurance, the residents lifted the blockade and expressed their gratitude to the Block Vice-Chairman.