Agartala, February 10, 2026: Tension gripped Ward No. 2 of Kadamtala Saraspur Gram Panchayat on Tuesday morning as local residents, led by members of women’s group, staged a road blockade protesting the prolonged drinking water crisis in the area. The agitation, which lasted for nearly two hours, was finally withdrawn following assurances from the police.
According to local residents, the drinking water problem in the area has remained unresolved for more than a year. Although water connections were provided under the drinking water supply scheme, villagers alleged that water rarely flows through the pipelines. Even when water is supplied, it reportedly contains a high level of iron, making it unfit for consumption.
Residents claimed that repeated complaints were lodged with the Gram Panchayat and the concerned department, but no effective steps were taken to address the issue. It was also alleged that the pump operator responsible for water supply was informed several times, but he continued to avoid resolving the problem on various pretexts.
With no alternative left, anger simmered among the villagers. At around 10 am, women members of women’s group, along with other residents, sat on a road blockade on the main Kadamtala–Sarla road, holding pitchers and buckets to symbolize the acute water scarcity. The blockade brought vehicular movement on the busy stretch to a complete halt, causing inconvenience to commuters.
Locals further alleged that during the protest, no public representative or official from the concerned department visited the spot to listen to their grievances, adding to public resentment.
Later, upon receiving information, personnel from Kadamtala police station rushed to the area and held discussions with the protestors. The police assured the residents that necessary steps would be taken soon to resolve the drinking water problem. Following this assurance, the blockade was lifted and traffic movement restored.
Although normalcy has returned for the time being, the residents have issued a clear warning. They stated that if a permanent solution is not implemented at the earliest, they will be compelled to launch a larger and more intense movement in the coming days.
