Chennai: Irked over poor supply of drinking water for the last three months, residents here staged a demonstration with empty pots near the old Kancheepuram railway station, on Tuesday morning.
The residents blocked the Arakkonam — Kancheepuram route demanding speedy action to supply them water.
Kamatchi Amman Nagar of the eighth ward in Kancheepuram municipality has a population of 100 families. Due to drop in groundwater level, borewells and overhead water tanks which were the primary sources of drinking water here, failed to yield water. Some weren't functioning and needed repair. Residents were upset as municipal officials kept ignoring their repeated requests for water.
Infuriated by the apathy of officials, around 100 residents holding empty pots, blocked the road. Police and municipal commissioner, Mahendra, rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesters. The residents ended their protest after two hours, only after police and other officials promised to resolve the drinking water issue within a couple of days.
Officials then arranged water tankers to supply water. The protest blocked traffic for more than two hours on the Arakkonam - Kancheepuram road.
Similarly, residents of Malaipattu village, Kancheepuram, on Tuesday morning staged a road blockade on the Sriperumbudur — Manimangalam road, to highlight the water scarcity in their area.
According to sources, the village was facing the brunt of severe water scarcity due to the alleged apathy of the panchayat officials. More than 50 villagers blocked the Sriperumbudur — Manimangalam road. After an hour, the villagers withdrew the protest, police said.
