Agartala, Aug 11: A severe drinking water crisis lasting nearly a week triggered a major road blockade in Khowai district on Tuesday, with hundreds of villagers blocking the Assam-Agartala National Highway at 36 Mile in the Krishnapur area for nearly four hours.
A large number of indigenous women joined the protest, bringing traffic to a standstill on both sides of the highway. Long queues of passenger vehicles and goods-laden trucks formed along the crucial route, considered Tripura’s lifeline for surface connectivity.
Higher Education and Panchayat Minister Kishore Barman was also caught in the traffic congestion along with commuters and truck operators.
The protesters alleged that drinking water supply in the area had remained disrupted for several days despite repeated complaints to the authorities. According to residents, more than 300 families have been affected, forcing people to travel considerable distances to collect water.
Villagers said the prolonged disruption had particularly affected children, elderly residents and people suffering from illnesses. They demanded immediate restoration of regular piped water supply and a permanent solution to the recurring problem.
Officials of the Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) wing attributed the immediate disruption to a malfunctioning pumping machine. An official said maintenance personnel had repaired and restarted the pump, but it stopped functioning again within five to ten minutes.
The department said repair work was continuing and tanker services had been arranged as an emergency measure. However, officials acknowledged difficulties in delivering water directly to every household because tanker vehicles require adequate road access.
The explanation failed to satisfy the protesters, who maintained that tanker supply could only provide temporary relief and could not replace a dependable piped water system.
Personnel from Mungiakami police station reached the spot following the blockade. DCM Sandeep Debbarma of the sub-divisional administration and DWS officials also held discussions with the agitating villagers.
The protesters alleged that the crisis reflected broader deficiencies in the local water supply system rather than an isolated technical failure.
After nearly four hours, the blockade was withdrawn following assurances from the administration and DWS authorities that steps would be taken to restore water supply and address the problem.
Traffic subsequently resumed on the highway. The villagers, however, warned that they would launch a larger agitation if regular drinking water supply was not restored within a reasonable period.
